Kelly Thomas is the organizer of a local production of the Vagina Monologues. (Steve Healey / Staff photo)

Kelly Thomas spends her days teaching first- and second-graders at an Indianapolis magnet school, so it's fair to say she works in front of an audience, trying to command attention and communicate a message.

On Friday and Saturday, however, the 26-year-old Noblesville native and IU graduate will be performing in front of a more mature crowd, communicating an altogether different message -- one of empowerment, individuality, sexuality and morality.

Thomas is the organizer of a local production of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues," which is being staged at the Wheeler Arts Community theater this weekend in conjunction with other events. She is also performing one of the acts, "My Short Skirt."

For readers who don't know the story behind "The Vagina Monologues," and what they're about, can you perhaps distill the essence of the play? I'm particularly thinking of guys here, who might be squeamish about the title.

I have my personal opinion, and I think that Eve Ensler's goal was to first of all say the word "vagina" and make it not a bad word. It tells stories. It deals with abuse. It deals with women's sex lives, just being a woman, and breaking the silence about women's sexuality, about rape and incest. Because it puts it right there in your face, it becomes powerful. But it does it in a way that's touching. It's not raw and raunchy. It's done very classy.

Can you tell me about the first time you saw "The Vagina Monologues"?

I was a student at IU. I think I was a sophomore. I think I was 20. I saw it at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater in Bloomington. It was done with three actresses, and I was just really, really impressed, amazed and touched by the honesty of the monologues. Any woman can connect with them and what is being said. And I think for me, it's good for them to come and learn what women experience every day. And they're also funny, particularly for women because they're so familiar to women. This production has 15 actresses, and it's a very diverse cast of young and old and different ethnicities.

What possessed you to organize this production?

I wanted to do this because I'm a huge fan of Eve Ensler's. I've read a lot of her books, and I'm touched by them. She has a way of being very blunt, but also making the material familiar. I tried through vday.com to put in an application, and got accepted, and the experience has been overwhelming most definitely, but extremely rewarding, to see these women of all ages come together for one purpose. We've created a mini-family to get this going, and I'm just really impressed by all the women I've met through doing this. It's going to touch everyone.

In Florida last year, a female resident complained about a theater marquee displaying the name of the show, and the sign was temporarily changed to read "The Hoo-Ha Monologues." If you had to change the name, what would you change it to?

I wouldn't change the name, never, because that's the whole point of it. I think that's just another example of how we're afraid of our own sexuality, which is something so basic to everyone. I think it's important to talk about issues that we all experience that aren't voiced. But men's issues, too. If they had "The Penis Monologues," I would support that, too. When it's silent, I think it makes it a shameful thing, and I think it shouldn't be. It should be natural.

The Vagina Monologues

Where: Wheeler Arts Community Theater, 1035 E. Sanders St. (in the Fountain Square neighborhood).

When: 8 p.m. Feb. 22 and 23.

Tickets: $10 (available at all Luna Music locations).

Info: www.myspace.com/indyvaginamonologues

What else: In addition to the performances Friday night, the theater will host a silent art auction including works from artists such as Peg Brand, Josie Virgin Crowe, Jessica Bullers and Kathryn Woods. All of the featured art incorporates women as the subject. Doors open at 6 p.m. On Saturday night after the performance, several local music acts will play at Radio Radio, including organizer TJ Reynolds, Sarah Grain and DJ Spread. A portion of all event proceeds will go to the Julian Center.