Kreviazuk, Walsh sign for Vagina Monologues

TORONTO (CP) -- Sonja Smits, Chantal Kreviazuk and Mary Walsh will take on starring roles in the Vagina Monologues when it comes to Toronto in December.

Actor Smits will star Dec. 19 to 24, Juno Award-winning singer Kreviazuk will take over from Dec. 26 to 31 and comedian Walsh from Jan. 2 to 7.

They follow Gloria Reuben (Dec. 5-10) and Shirley Douglas (Dec. 12-17) and perform alongside American actors Starla Benford and Sherri Parker Lee in this off-Broadway hit.

Perhaps best known for her roles in Street Legal and Traders on TV, Smits also appears in film and on stage.

Kreviazuk's debut work, Under These Rocks and Stones, went double platinum in Canada and fuelled an international tour that earned her a strong following for her vocals, lyrics and emotional candour. Her success continued with her next album, Colour Moving Still.

A member of the Order of Canada, Walsh is a multi-award winning actor, writer and director whose roles on CODCO and This Hour Has 22 Minutes have made her one of Canada's most widely recognized performers.

Smits, Kreviazuk and Walsh follow a long and growing list of women, including Susan Sarandon, Alanis Morissette, Andrea Martin, and Marlo Thomas who have appeared in the Vagina Monologues, which is based on interviews with women from six to 75 who divulge their thoughts and feelings about the most intimate part of their anatomy.

They also join those who have contributed to the anti-violence efforts of V-Day, the grassroots organization founded by playwright Eve Ensler.

"This is such a great example of how we can join together -- artists, producers, actors, community organizations, all of us -- to bring an end to all violence against women," says Ensler. "Toronto is truly a vagina-friendly city!"

Tickets for The Vagina Monologues at the Music Hall, 147 Danforth Ave., are on sale through Ticketmaster (416-870-8000 or www.ticketmaster.ca).

Author Unknown