If you watched the dearly departed “Parks & Recreation,” you already know what Galentine’s Day is (and if you didn’t watch, you’d better remedy that right away). Lead character Leslie Knope created said holiday to sing the praises of the ladies in her life, and the fictional celebration has really taken off among groups of girlfriends across the country.
And while there are lots of ways to celebrate Galentine’s Day, there’s one that really plays tribute to Leslie Knope and her portrayer, Amy Poehler. Gather up your best gal pals and head to Poehler’s training grounds, The Second City, where you’ll settle in with a cocktail for “She The People,” an edgy, feminist take on what it means to be a woman in today’s world.
The comedy show, which is performed by Carisa Barreca, Alex Bellisle, Katie Caussin, Maria Randazzo, Alexis J. Roston and Kimberly Michelle Vaughn, touches on all aspects of the female experience, from mommy shaming to diets, first dates to periods. Randazzo even does a hilarious bit about girls who describe themselves as “quirky.” There’s no singular theme, other than what is encompassed in the show’s subtitle: “Girlfriends’ guide to sisters doing it for themselves.”
The Second City has given “She The People” a suggested R rating, so prepare yourself for lots of swear words and some sexual references. (And if your politics lean conservative, you may be offended at times.) This show doesn’t hold back, directly addressing the problematic things that women deal with on a regular basis, and also the Kardashians.
But you should also get ready for some epic female empowerment, not to mention uncontrollable laughter. I felt a swell of womanly pride at multiple points in the show, plus some real feelings of recognition at the situations being faced. The show, which is written by 10 women (including some of the cast), truly shows the spectrum of the female experience, taking into account things like race, sexual orientation, weight and age. It’s intelligently written, avoiding the overused clichés that have populated modern feminism. And the diversity of the cast is just plain lovely to see; in fact, it was impossible to choose a favorite performer among the six very funny stars.
After the show (or during intermission), be sure to visit the photo booth in the lobby, where you and your girl gang can pose with posters that say things like “This is what a feminist looks like” or famous female faces like Ruth Bader Ginsburg or Amy Poehler’s bestie, Tina Fey.
“She The People” is at The Second City’s UP Comedy Club through April 1, so if you don’t get there for Galentine’s Day on Feb. 13, you’ll still have time to treat yo’self (another Parks & Rec reference) and your best girls to a night on the town. Because I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the women who make us better than a night of laughter – and some girl power.