Women and men sat in chairs, on the floor and stood in the doorway just to get a chance to watch the “Vagina Monologues.”

ULM’s English and theater department brought many laughs and tears to a full crowd in a production of Eve Ensler’s “Vagina Monologues.” The event took place Thursday night in The Upstairs Gallery in Monroe.

The “Vagina Monologues” are different monologues that reflect different women’s experiences or issues with their vaginas.

Some monologues were funny, but some were very serious.

English professor Vanelis Rivera came up with the idea to bring the monologues back to ULM when she was a graduate student in 2009.

Rivera read the “Vagina Not-So-Happy Fact” and played a part in the woman one, two and three dialogue.

Her main monologue was “My Vagina Was My Village.”

“It was a very serious and emotional monologue,” Rivera said. “It was about a woman who was part of the mass rape that was going on in Kosovo because of their war.”

At the end of the monologues, Rivera spoke about the 1 Billion Rising campaign meant to put a stop to the violence against women.

“On February 14 the world saw the biggest global action ever to end violence against women and girls,” Rivera said. “One Billion Rising activists in 207 countries took to the streets and danced. Tonight we are rising with the millions of women and men around the world who rose on February 14 to say enough.”

This global action was called V-Day, and according to Rivera, 10 percent of the donations made at the event will go to V-Day.

Freshman medical lab science major Courtnie Mason was so surprised by the content of the performances that she was laughing while tears ran down her face.

“It was very funny, and to know that the actors understood what women go through was fascinating,” said Mason. “They were so raw and bold.”

Donations went to the Wellspring Alliance.