Time Out New York

By: Roisin McGinn

**** 4 Stars!

Like The Vagina Monologues for tweens, Keep Your Eyes Open is
a smart, sassy and sophisticated look at how it feels to be a girl. Written and performed by a group of 10- and 11-year-olds—yes, we’re serious—the play is told through a series of YouTube vignettes, turning a critical eye on such issues as self-image and the national curriculum. The sophistication of the girls’ analysis and astuteness of their observations left me feeling a little ashamed; whatever I was thinking at age 11, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t about the degradation of women in our society. (The play has attracted attention from Senator Clinton, who wrote personally to each of the cast.) While the diminutive narrator, Winnifred, stands out in terms of sass, humor and overall charisma, the supporting cast is also strong; Gracie Bea and Maya deserve special mention for their touching monologues, which prompted memories of my own traumatic high school experience. While the jaded among us may feel that the “girl power” thing has been done to death, this play is a reminder that new generations of girls are still encountering all the old problems. Even if we’ve heard it all before, Keep Your Eyes Open reminds us to care again.