Wild women, brazen babes and gutsy girls are the main themes for Tuesday night’s performance of selections from the book “That Takes Ovaries!”

The Random House book, compiled by editor Rivka Solomon, presents 64 stories meant to educate and inform about the everyday, brazen acts of women. Women like Amy Richards, a contributing editor of Ms. magazine; Ruchira Gupta, an Emmy award-winning filmmaker; and Joani Blank, the founder and former owner of the nationally-renowned women’s sex toy store, Good Vibrations, are only a few of the women featured in the book.

Tuesday’s performance of selections from the book will showcase local women reading stories like “Fat Girls Kick Ass” and “Spreading my Legs for Womankind.”

Penny Rice, coordinator of the Margaret Sloss Women’s Center who is in charge of the production, says it exists to show women in a positive light.

“The production is meant to be completely positive and celebrate bold, passionate and sassy women,” she says. “It’s important to break stereotypes and change the traditional roles of women, but if women want to stay in those roles that’s fine also. It takes a lot of courage to be a woman day in and day out, and overcoming struggles is important.”

“That Takes Ovaries!” features real-life stories that span multicultural groups and many different types of women. Rice says neither the book nor the production is meant to be used for male bashing, and that every age and gender is invited to Tuesday’s performance.

Kerri Roesner, program assistant for substance abuse and violence prevention, is responsible for advertising and working with the editor of “That Takes Ovaries!” She says she felt a personal need to be involved with this production.

“I have always been interested in women’s issues, so I contacted Penny to get involved with events at Iowa State,” she says. “I think ‘That Takes Ovaries!’ is an important, positive production for everyone that sees it. I hope when women see the show and after they leave, they will feel empowered and feel like they have a voice.”

An open mic time after the show will give audience members a chance to share their personal stories about themselves or another “brazen babe”. Men are also welcome to share stories about their mothers, sisters, friends, daughters or teachers.

Roesner said the production will include about 10 readings performed by volunteers. She thinks the people who attend will be affected by the performance, hopefully in a positive way.

“This production is a great way to end the year positively; we hope that this can be an annual event,” Rice says. “Attitudes and beliefs can only be changed with events like this. Oppression affects everyone and we need to work together to … change stereotypes.”

What: “That Takes Ovaries!”

Where: M-Shop, Memorial Union

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday

Cost: Free with donation