PrideArts has announced its first performances in the company's new home of the Hoover-Leppen Theatre in Center on Halsted at 3656 N. Halsted, Chicago. The company moved to COH in January 2025 and has its administrative offices in the Center in addition to performing in the Center's Hoover-Leppen Theatre. Its first presentation in the space will be two performances of Eve Ensler's THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES, to be performed on Saturday, February 15 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, February 16 at 3:00 pm. Ensler's collection of monologues, based on interviews with over two hundred women about their vaginas, sexuality, and identity; will be performed by 11 local luminaries from the worlds of politics, theatre, and non-profits.
Cast to include Elise Blanchard, Actor; Deb Hamilton, writer/performer; Ginger Leopoldo, Arts Educator with CIRCA Pintig; Amber Mandley, Managing Director, PrideArts; Loni T. Montreal, queer feminist Filipina writer, performer, educator and community activist; Ri Prasad, commercial realtor; Norissa Pearson, actor/musician/educator; Joli Angel Robinson, CEO of Center on Halsted; Marti Smith; speaker; Cheri Tatar, Board President PrideArts; and Rachel Warnick, Artistic Director of Stage Left.
Both of the two performances will be preceded by pre-show receptions that will include snacks, a cash bar, and visits from the cast. Receptions will begin one and one-half hours before curtain times and are included in the ticket price of $25.00. Tickets are now on sale at https://www.pridearts.org/vagina-monologues and https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/pridearts-2025-fundraiser-the-vagina-monologues.
LISTING INFORMATION
THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES
By Eve Ensler
Directed by Amber Mandley
Saturday February 15 at 730pm and Sunday February 16 at 3pm.
Preshow receptions 6:00 pm on Saturday February 15 and 1:30pm on Sunday, February 16.
Hoover-Leppen Theatre at Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, Chicago
Tickets $25, available at https://www.pridearts.org/vagina-monologues and https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/pridearts-2025-fundraiser-the-vagina-monologues
An Obie Award-winning whirlwind tour of a forbidden zone, THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES introduces a wildly divergent gathering of female voices, including a six-year-old girl, a septuagenarian New Yorker, a vagina workshop participant, a woman who witnesses the birth of her granddaughter, a Bosnian survivor of rape, and a feminist happy to have found a man who "liked to look at it." The monologues will be performed by various local luminaries from the worlds of politics, theatre, non-profits and much more. Cast to include Elise Blanchard, Actor; Deb Hamilton, writer/performer; Ginger Leopoldo, Arts Educator with CIRCA Pintig; Amber Mandley, Managing Director, PrideArts; Loni T. Montreal, queer feminist Filipina writer, performer, educator and community activist; Ri Prasad, commercial realtor; Norissa Pearson, actor/musician/educator; Joli Angel Robinson, CEO of Center on Halsted; Marti Smith; speaker; Cheri Tatar, Board President PrideArts; and Rachel Warnick, Artistic Director of Stage Left. Production team includes Val Gardner, sound design; Lea Davis, light design; Amber Mandley, stage manager.
THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES will be PrideArts' (unofficial) first production in its new home - the Hoover-Leppen Theatre at Center on Halsted. Preshow receptions 1.5 hours before curtain. There will be snacks and a cash bar, plus visits from the cast.
BIOS
Elise Blanchard is thrilled to be returning to PrideArts as part of the cast of THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES, especially at this moment in time. Previous favorite roles include Brigid in THE HUMANS, Nancy in OLIVER!, Cordelia and the Fool in KING LEAR, Mimi in A COMEDY OF TENORS, and the Dance Captain in SOMETHING ROTTEN!.
Deborah Hamilton is a writer/performer who lives in Chicago. She has worked as a bookstore manager, ESL tutor, ghost writer, carpenter, bar reviewer, and unlicensed therapist. Currently, she is completing a collection of observational essays, performing at stand-up comedy open mics, playing with power tools, and lamenting the end of democracy This is her second performance with PrideArts. She is grateful to be working with such talented and gracious people.
Ginger Leopoldo is an accomplished educator, theatre artist, and community organizer with over two decades of experience in arts education and cultural advocacy. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theatre from the University of Illinois at Chicago and has dedicated her career to empowering marginalized communities through storytelling, cultural preservation, and intergenerational dialogue. In addition to her artistic work, Ginger serves as a teaching artist, adjunct lecturer, and leader in Chicago’s Filipino-American cultural arts community. Her work exemplifies the intersection of arts, education, and social justice. Ginger is honored to lend her voice to THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES and congratulates PrideArts on their inspiring new space and continued commitment to uplifting diverse voices.
Amber Mandley is the Managing Director for PrideArts. She most recently directed WELLS AND WELLES for Lucid Theatre. Other directing experiences include SHAKESPEARE’S R&J for PrideArts, Rhinofest, Violet Fest, Clock Productions, school productions for CICS-Bucktown, City Lit Adaptation Festival, Abbie Hoffman Festival, Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival, On the Spot Theatre Company, and Hass Ben Productions. Amber believes in a collaborative process of directing and finding the heart of a piece with the cast.
Lani T. Montreal writes to create her home in the diaspora. She is a queer feminist Filipina writer, performer, educator, and community activist based in Chicago. Her works have been published/produced in North America, Asia, and in cyberspace. Lani has worked as a playwright and resident artist with CIRCA-Pintig, Chicago Danztheatre, and Free Street Theatre. Her play PANTHER IN THE SKY was described by Buzz Stage Theater as "a play that challenges us to confront the harsh realities of gun violence while inspiring us to act and make a difference in the world.” This summer she is taking her well-received solo SHOW ANAK NI TAPIA: LEAVING MOTHER to cities outside of Chicago.
Ri Prasad, with her distinguished background as a former marketing executive, real estate investor, and developer, stands at the forefront of innovative solutions to complex fair housing development challenges. She passionately combats exploitive practices in the real estate industry. As a head of the commercial division of Option Realty Group, Ri serves as the 2024 vice-chair and 2025 chair of The 77, the Chicago Association of Realtors Representative Leadership Diversity Committee for fair housing as a solution to economic development. Further, she serves as a member of the CAR’s Sustainability Workgroup for Green Construction and Building Efficiency. Ri’s transformational work spans nearly every neighborhood in Chicago. As a bi-national, bi-cultural immigrant, Ri views her work with AR2 Homes with national long-term implications.
Norissa Pearson is a dynamic actor, musician, and educator with extensive experience in the performing arts. Her diverse performance credits include BLUES IN THE NIGHT, PORGY AND BESS, TELL ME SOMETHIN' GOOD, THE GOSPEL AT COLONUS, SANCTIFIED, A RAISIN IN THE SUN, THE CRUCIBLE, TRAIN IS COMIN’, AND CROWNS. Passionate about arts education, Norrisa specializes in arts integration and has had the privilege of working with young, talented artists in a variety of youth programs across the Chicagoland area. These include Open Book, Chicago-Lights Summer Day, Ravinia's Reach Teach and Play Program, and the Ravinia Lawndale Family Music School. Grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with such inspiring artists, Norrisa continues to be committed to using her craft to uplift, educate, and inspire others through the transformative power of the arts.
Joli Angel Robinson currently serves as CEO of Center on Halsted, the largest LGBTQ+ serving community center in the Midwest. Previously, Joli served as the President/CEO of Housing Forward (formerly known as Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance). Joli holds a Masters Degree in Communications specializing in Organizational Communication Management and a Bachelors of Art and Science in Sociology and Communication, both from Dallas Baptist University. She previously served in board capacities on the ACLU of Texas board & the North Texas LGBT Chamber of Commerce Board. Joli also previously served on the Village Tech Board, as a Co-Chair for the local Truth, Racial Healing, & Transformation organization in Dallas, and as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate with Dallas CASA. In her free time, Joli is an avid reader and enjoys non-fiction books, sight-seeing, eating good food, and spending time with those she loves. Joli has been featured as a speaker at several conferences covering topics ranging from Addressing Racial Equity within the LGBTQ+ community to housing and homelessness.
Marti Smith is an elder card-carrying lesbian/dyke. She has appeared at speaking engagements at Dorothy's and the Center on Halsted Aging Programs. Upcoming appearances include TELLING OUR STORIES at COH and a post-performance panel at Porchlight Theater’s production of FUN HOME.
Cheri Tatar has served as board president at PrideArts for over 5 years. A retired project manager, she is Mum to Casey and 6 fur babies and wife to Amber.
Rachel Van Warnick (they/she) is a transplant from Arkansas who has worked in theatre for nearly 23 years. They started their theatre career by studying opera performance in undergrad. After school, Rachel continued to perform in numerous plays, musicals, and indie films before moving to Chicago in 2015. For the last 10 years, Rachel has acted in, directed, and produced works throughout Chicago, several of which were in collaboration with Amber Mandley of PrideArts. (Fun fact - Amber cast Rachel in their first Chicago show 10 years ago!) They currently serve as the Artistic Director of Stage Left Theatre, one of Chicago’s oldest ensemble-driven theatre companies. Rachel is so pleased to be here to talk about one of their favorite topics - vaginas!
ABOUT PRIDEARTS
PrideArts tells queer stories on a variety of platforms, including both live and virtual performances. Since its founding in 2010, PrideArts has had several chapters, including operating as an itinerant theater for their first six seasons, and as the developer and primary tenant in the Pride Arts Center from 2016 to 2024. Its current home is in Center on Halsted.
The company produces full seasons of plays and musicals, as well as events including cabaret, and more. The company has earned 39 Jeff Awards and nominations, and six nominations in the 2019 ALTA Awards from the Alliance of Latinx Theater Artists of Chicago. Programming has reflected the diversity of queer communities by including work made by and illuminating the experiences of women, gay men, transgender people, and BIPOC.
PrideArts is supported by Illinois Arts Council, a State Agency; City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), Alphawood Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Arts Work Fund, Driehaus Foundation, The Saints.
For more information and to donate, visit www.pridearts.org or call 1.773 857 0222.