DIXON – A local rendition of “The Vagina Monologues” returns March 16-18 to The Next Picture Show.

Author Eve Ensler interviewed 200 women regarding their views and history with sex, relationships, identity and violence, and in 1996, transformed their stories into monologues – some hilarious, some heartbreaking.

Since then, “The Vagina Monologues” has been adopted as a fundraiser for the V-Day campaign, a global activist movement to stop violence against women and girls.

This year, the play is being produced and directed by Sauk Valley Community College student Sarah Fassig, 37, of West Brooklyn. She also will introduce each of the monologues.

Fassig wants the show to be fun.

“Most of the monologues have such a strong message, that I really want people to enjoy themselves and not be like, ‘Yeah, that’s horrible,’” she said. “There are quite a few funny ones.”

She calls her cast of local women a “collaborative union of single, white females.”

Amy Brandon, 37, of Franklin Grove, will participate for the third time. She likes the camaraderie.

“It’s a ‘chicks rule’ kind of environment,” Brandon said. “Everybody that’s involved is very like-minded. We’re all different versions of a feminist.”

More importantly, the play raises money and awareness for an important cause, she said.

“Even in this day and age, women are still being underrepresented in a lot of areas in the government and the business world,” she said. “In the education world, women are underrepresented ... still in some ways not equal.”

The women

The women performing in the show are Mona Weitz of Sterling; Molly Pashon of Sterling; Karol Teal of Dixon; Claire Magana of Sterling; Amy Brandon of Franklin Grove; Patty Bush of Morrison; Patricia Fulfs of Sterling; and Sarah Fassig of West Brooklyn.

To attend

"The Vagina Monologues" will be performed March 16-18 at The Next Picture Show, 113 W. First St. in Dixon.

The doors open at 6 p.m.; the show begins at 7.

March 17, doors open at 6 p.m.; the show begins at 7.

March 18, there will be a reception at 2 p.m., followed by the show at 3.

Tickets are $10 for adults; $5 for students with identification. Donations are being accepted to cover the show's cost, and to benefit the YWCA of the Sauk Valley. In addition, 10 percent of ticket sales will benefit the women of Haiti.

The show is for ages 18 and older.

Call Sarah Fassig, 561-674-2292, for more information on the local production.

Go to randomhouse.com/features/ensler/vm to learn more about the history of the play.