Why am I doing “An Evening with Marilyn" - July 28, 1962

While in Paris in the spring of 1997, I went to see Mr. Bernard Hilda in search of artistic representation.  After viewing 10 minutes of the debut of my first one-woman Musical, “Nostalgie – Growing Up with the Movies” at the beautiful Cinegrill in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, California, he asked me if I would be interested in playing Marilyn Monroe in Paris.  His suggestion, at the same time inspired and intrigued me.  I didn’t know much about Marilyn.  Immediately in Paris I started my research into articles, books, and CD’s (which I had no idea existed).  I continued my “search for Marilyn” in Los Angeles.

The more I dug into Marilyn’s life the more passionate I became in clearing the many misconceptions that have been perpetrated about her.  It’s very easy to “trash” a woman, any woman, especially one who cannot defend herself and has no one or family, to stand for her.  Also, something that weighted heavily in by decision to give her “a voice” was that in my “search for the truth”, early in 1998, I saw a documentary (made approximately 25 years after her death) where the assistant district attorney of Los Angeles, said he was present as Dr. Noguchi did the post mortem examination on Marilyn’s body and, a) no traces of barbiturates were found in her liver or her stomach, and b.) her blood showed traces of chloral hydrate, a potent sedative some prostitutes use to render their victims unconscious and c.) her lower intestine was very swollen, blue and purple, which indicated the Nembutal had been administered through an enema.  I asked myself, if I wanted to commit suicide or have an “accidental overdose”, would I give myself an enema to end it all?

These findings give me a strong indication of foul play and homicide and ruled out a suicide or accidental death by overdose.

I have become a true fan of this beautiful woman.  I have come to regard her as a dear friend, a “sister”, a close member of my family, with whom I have more in common with than I ever suspected.  I have come to admire her for her humanity, her compassion, her wit, her indomitable spirit in overcoming adversity, her tenacity in following her dream and perhaps, her biggest triumph of all, that of becoming a perennial source of inspiration for future generations.  Her story has been told by thousands.  It’s time she told her story in her own words  It’s time perhaps we get to know the woman behind the image, behind the myth.

I wrote “An Evening With Marilyn, July 28^th 1962” to show how happy she was that, at that point in her life, July 1962, she was beginning to find her true self and true happiness, and that she had no reason to end her promising future.  I did it for Norma Jean, the child and her dreams, for the girl and her battles, and for the woman who was finally ready for her future. I wrote “An Evening…..” for all women and for everyone who at one time or another, has been hastily and unjustly labeled based only on prejudice and misconception .

Roxanna Bonilla-Giannini

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