What comes to mind when you hear the word slut? The word has such negative connotations behind it, and it is an ugly and negative word. Yet how much power does this word really have? How much power do any words really have? These questions are just some of the questions being answered by Rene Marie with her new one-woman show Slut Energy Theory, opening October 1st at the Crossroads Theatre in Five Points and produced by Donnie L. Betts and No Credits Productions.
According to Marie, Slut Energy Theory began as a conversation among girlfriends, almost 10 years ago. A late night conversation turned to the topic of the counterproductive effects that sexual relationships often bring to creativity and productivity. So many women will spend endless amounts of their energy on pursuing sexual relationships instead of their own creative and intellectual endeavors. Out of this conversation, some questions came up. When are girls first made aware of the sexual aspects of their bodies, and by whom? What forces or influences move girls away from their sexual innocence and into a life that centers on sexual activity? How do these forces color their view of the world and of themselves? Is it possible to free oneself from these forces? Rene Marie took these questions and came up with 4 separate stories that have evolved into 4 separate plays. Slut Energy Theory is the first installment and the story of U’dean, deceased matriarch of 4 generations of “sluts” – so far.
I’ve always found it incredibly important to support new works, and I found the subject matter of this piece specifically powerful. I had the opportunity to interview Rene Marie and ask her about the show, her message, and the future of the 4 plays.
Q: You say that Slut Energy Theory began as a conversation among girlfriends. What made you decide to take the leap from conversation to stage play?
A: Of course, the word 'slut' is used tongue-firmly-in-cheek. For me, using that phrase is almost like throwing every gender epithet that's ever been lobbed against women right back in someone's face. So, from the first time I heard that phrase in 2001 or 2002, it became alive and continued growing inside me, incubating and being nurtured. Between then and 2006 I was doing a lot of journaling, writing essays, composing and changing - a lot. One day I was looking over all this stuff I’d written and I began seeing a theme - based on women, sexuality, freedom, self-determination. As I read these, rather than my own voice, I heard other women speaking the words I’d written; and the voices were so strong, so forceful and fully defined. It wasn't enough to simply compose songs about these topics. I felt very definitely that the words needed to be spoken aloud, heard by other women. The idea originally was to do one play about four successive generations of women who were, according to their detractors, sluts. Their names are Sophie, Lorna, U'dean and Tulsa (when you take the first letter of each name, coincidentally, it spells SLUT).
using that phrase is almost like throwing every gender epithet that's ever been lobbed against women right back in someone's face."
Q: What are you hoping the audience will feel as they watch this show?
A: What I hope for audiences of this show is what I hope for whenever I sing - that they be moved, touched, stimulated; beyond what they may typically experience at any given performance. Incest, rape and domestic violence (with large doses of religious disenchantment thrown in) are difficult subjects. Among the closest relationships humans have with each other - the family - these topics are often shushed, covered up, denied. While Slut Energy Theory isn't the first play to broach these subjects, my experience has been, in going to such plays, that the subjects are still tip-toed around, they are eased into (almost euphemistically so) rather than directly and forcefully approached.
these topics are often shushed, covered up, denied."
Q: What are you intending for the audience to be left feeling after the show is over?
A: Well, I try to not to have any intentions for the audience - the question is: what will the audience bring with them as they come into the theatre and sit in their seats? Whatever energy is generated between the words being spoken onstage and it touching them, I’ll be satisfied with that. Does it make them angry? Uncomfortable? Relieved? Happy? Sad? Determined? Whatever it is (as long as it isn’t boredom), I’m okay with.
Q:The word "Slut" has a lot of negative connotations, is this intentional?
A: Any time I’ve ever heard "slut", other than its use in the phrase "slut energy", it's always been used negatively - and reacted to negatively - whether by men or women. When I use the word 'slut' I am not using it to provoke or subscribe to those negative connotations, though I absolutely acknowledge that those connotations exist. But I don't have to let someone else's definition of that word be the final say, do I? I mean, I’m intelligent. I can choose for myself how I want the word to affect me, if at all. That's the reason why I didn't capitulate when others expressed concern or disapproval about the use of the word "slut" in the title of the play. I had to ask myself, 'do words, in themselves, have power? Or do we imbue them with power by the way we think of them and react to them? Plenty of people use the word "slut" as an insult, but they would never admit to it publicly. Let's not hide behind that. Let's acknowledge that we've used the word "slut" to condemn and disparage women for a behavior that men engage in all the time, for which escapades such men are typically applauded and admired.
I don't have to let someone else's definition of that word be the final say, do I?"
Q: Do all women have Slut Energy?
A: The definition of "slut energy" is: energy expended in finding and/or maintaining sexual or romantic relationships to the detriment of our health, intellect or creativity. I have engaged in such behavior in most of my relationships. Though I cannot speak for other women, I doubt I am the only one.
Q: This is the first piece in a series of 4 shows. Are they all one-woman shows?
A: Yes, they are expected to be all one-woman shows, though I am open to the suggestions any of my characters may make between now and then!
Q: Are they already written?
A: The main pieces, the essays, music, etc. from which the monologues are to be drawn are already written. But what I learned from U'dean, the protagonist of this first show, is that while I may have in mind what I want any given character to say, she may take only one sentence from an entire essay or spoken word piece I’ve written and want to expound on THAT to tell her own story. I like to believe I’m quite open to that process but it's only because it does no good to fight against it!
Q: Tell me a bit about the future of this project.
A: I would love to take this show to women's shelters, small communities, etc. but I don't like to think about a "future" for the project. My process is to avoid planning too far into the future. For me "too far" means more than 5-6 weeks. Fooling myself into thinking that I have some kind of control over a situation is an exercise in futility. Having too much planned prevents me from being open to what my creative energy and the universe have in store for me. Since I like to take things as they are given to me, I trust that my spirit will let me know what the next step will be and when I should take it.
Examiner Extra: Enjoy a preview of Rene Marie's song "Nothing But Love" Which will soon be available for download on her website.
Slut Energy Theory
A World Premiere by René Marie.
Crossroads Theatre
27th & Welton next to Blackberries in historical Five Points
October 1, 2, 3 & October 7, 8, 9, 10
October 7 - Benefit for Crossroads Theatre “Help Us Keep Theatre in Five Points”
7:30 p.m.
Tickets $15.00
303.832.0929 or online
Q & A after each performance
Explicit Language and Content ~ Seating is Limited
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