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The vision of Breastival! is to increase the expression and mutual respect in the way that men and women communicate with each other.
By Tammye McDuff
May 19, 2022~An inspiring production went virtual for the first time, “Conversations ‘Bout the Girls”. Putting adolescent giggling aside this presentation explores women and their relationship with their own bodies. Breastival is an event about breasts, bodies and more. The opening night was
May 14th, 2022 and will continue to stream for 30 days. Tickets start at $28 and are now on sale to the general public.
This new event honored the 17th anniversary of Sonia Jackson’s controversial play “Conversations ‘Bout The Girls” and serves as a fundraiser benefitting Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Grammy winners to best-selling authors filled the cast featuring prominent women from a diverse range of backgrounds. The updated cast in this production included: Florence LaRue, an original member of the 5th Dimension; Kayla Caulfield, actress; Bernadette Speakes, actress; Eunice Elloitt, comedian; Dr. Marissa Pei, author and journalist; Laurel Harris, award-winning producer, writer and actress; voice and speech coach, and Healthcare IT consultant, Debbie Lynn Carriger; Lily Shaw, motivational speaker and actress; professor and playwright, Madeline Puccioni and Sofía Élan, international singer-songwriter, composer, arranger.
The long-running stage play by Sonia Jackson (Speed, Jurassic Park III) reveals the way women look at themselves, their bodies, and their breasts. “Conversations ‘Bout the Girls” is a play whose purpose is to provide an engaging way to entertain the public through thought-provoking stories.
“Throughout history, breasts have always attracted attention, wanted or unwanted, and the messages women receive about their breasts are conflicting. We’re told that our shape and size, and how much we choose to show or cover-up, makes us beautiful or shameful, nurturing or sexualized. This show removes outside perceptions and brings to light the true conflicts and wonder that comes with the feminine experience of having breasts,” stated Jackson.
The vision is to increase the expression of mutual respect in the way men and women communicate with each other.
Originally a play of monologues, the stories were woven together to tell the story of women. “Conversations ‘Bout the Girls” second iteration was a solo show that took place in a bra shop, where the proprietor is restocking and training a new team member on the various bras and the women who purchase them.
Most recently, the play takes the bra shop idea and uses an ethnically diverse cast whose ages span decades to tell the tales of a woman’s journey in life because she has breasts. The colorful company, with a range of sizes, weights, hues, and shapes, play the staff and customers in the store and tell their stories live or through flashbacks. The story culminates with the patrons returning to the store after hours for a Women’s Circle of camaraderie and frank discussions of women’s issues.
Jackson came up with the idea while performing “The Vagina Monologues” she states “I dawned on me that we talk about all sorts of things that happen to our bodies, and we needed to have a great understanding between men and women; women and women; between our bodies and ourselves.”
The play gives women the opportunity to realize that they are not alone, that other women experience the same body image challenges across the board.
Proceeds generated will go to the Susan G Komen Foundation, the world’s leading breast cancer organization.
To purchase tickets to the Breastival! Please visit https://visionsofpossibilities.org/breastival/.
