Lansing - "If your vagina got dressed, what would it wear?" performer Debra Hart asked.

A leather jacket, a pink boa and diamonds were some of the responses given at the professional version of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues."

The critically acclaimed play made a stop at Lansing Community College's Dart Auditorium, 500 N. Capitol Ave., during its national tour. The six-day run ended Sunday. The local engagement was presented by Theatre Council Productions, a Chicago-based theatrical production company.

The monologues are based on interviews with more than 200 women from around the world. It has been performed in more than 40 countries and translated into more than 35 different languages.

Combining the interviews into 16 monologues, the play is usually performed by a trio of women, each telling the audience a story as if it had happened to them. Many of the stories aim to amuse, though a few discuss serious women's issues, covering a range of women of all different ages, personalities and opinions.

The two national performers are Gretchen Lee Krich and Joyce Lee from New York. Both are Broadway theater veterans and travel with the show's North American Tour.

A third guest performer fills the last role at each stop of the tour. The local performance included Lansing resident Debra Hart, who has co-hosted a radio show on WMMQ-(94.9-FM) in Lansing since 1990.

Ensler, the play's creator, and a group of women from New York are also responsible for the creation of V-Day.

V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women, aims to increase awareness and raise money for anti-violence organizations. The V stands for vagina, violence and valentine - with the monologues usually performed on or around Valentine's Day.

"It was absolutely wonderful," Holt resident Sue Jones said. "Friends told me it was great and that's why I came today but it was much better than I thought it would be."

Parts of the Lansing show left the entire audience, mostly middle-aged women, in fits of laughter, such as the time Krich demonstrated various types of moans - the elegant moan, the baby moan and the triple orgasmic moan.

Though entertaining, "The Vagina Monologues" also aims to increase awareness. The show has raised millions of dollars for organizations working toward stopping violence against women.

Two of the interviews, "Vagina Facts," give the audience an idea of the types of violence occurring against women. The show is supposed to be lighthearted and initiate discussion, but it also helps to make women aware of a few issues plaguing women today.

"The Little Coochie Snorcher that Could" told of a woman who had been sexually abused as a child but eventually found true love.

"It was very emotional. I went up and down throughout the entire show," Jones said.

"There were moments where you cried and then there were lots of fall-out-of-your-chair laughing moments."