Loyola has taken a new approach to addressing sexual violence issues.
“Sex Signals,” a production held Monday night, addressed social norms, campus culture and sexual expectations between the genders.
Loyola’s Counseling and Career Services hosted “Sex Signals” in an attempt to provide a unique way to raise awareness of sexual violence, said Ilyse Goldberg, the Staff Counselor and Sexual Aggression Prevention Coordinator.
The interactive show, created by Catharsis Productions, comprised two actors, Ben Murrie and Courtney Abbott, who presented realistic skits regarding sex and dating issues in college. The humorous take on serious topics like societal standards, oppression and date rape got scrambled into an easygoing, conversational dialogue onstage with audience participation.
With only two chairs as props, Murrie and Abbott interacted with a crowd of more than 200 students by asking difficult questions such as, “What constitutes consent in a date-rape situation?” and “What’s a pick-up line that won’t bring mixed signals?”
The energetic team danced and stirred emotions onstage by performing scenes from off-campus parties and a mock TV interview with an accused rapist. The three skits included pop-culture jokes, drunken bar scenes and improvisation using audience suggestions. By mid-show, students raised yellow cards reading “STOP,” previously attached to their seats, to object to uncomfortable scenes. The audience expressed different opinions to “sketchy” scenarios, such as when to say “stop” when intoxicated and how to leave an awkward date.
“I’m just holding a mirror to the world,” Murrie said.
“The idea behind the show is using comedy to talk about things people are normally reluctant to talk about,” Abbott said.
Murrie and Abbott are just one out of four teams who travel to universities nationwide to perform “Sex Signals.” Murrie and Abbott have performed the show 600 times between the two of them since Gail Stern and Christian Murphy wrote the show in 2000, said Murrie.
“Sex Signals” is not the only show available. Stern also puts on a stand-up show called “RANT!” in Chicago, where the company was originally based, said Abbott. Overall, the show has traveled to more than 40 colleges and performed 1,000 shows, according to the group’s Web site.
Robin Abbott, political science junior, said, “I thought it was easy to relate to. It is different from what the administration would have put on.”
“It was definitely more effective. I had a great time,” said Megan Stewart, piano performance senior.
“I would go to another show like this. It was funny and appealing to our age group,” said Emilie Tate, business freshman.
The event was mandatory for incoming students because the counseling center thought it was important that everyone get some further education about the subject of date rape and sexual assault, Goldberg said.
Although the event was officially mandatory, there won’t be consequences for the freshmen who didn’t make it.
The U.S. Department of Justice provided a grant to stop violence against women, said Goldberg, and “Sex Signals” is part of the grant. A number of universities receive the grant and hold conferences to speak about domestic violence.
Rosie Dao can be reached at [email protected].
