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A project Pam Veis started to work on two years ago has come to fruition this year - producing an award-winning play that has raised controversy in some communities where it has been produced.
Veis said her desire to put on "The Vagina Monologues" and to help activities to stop violence against women did not arise from her being in abusive situations herself. She is from a loving family with a wonderful father. She has a loving husband and good male friends, she said.
"That doesn't mean abuse is not a concern of mine," Veis said. "I think everyone should be concerned."
Eve Ensler's Obie Award-winning play frankly examines women's issues, including violence against women, women understanding their own needs and desires, and the need to love themselves and others. The play is written as monologues women present about their experiences.
Veis said she first learned of the play through a book discussion group a few years ago, and her discussion group wanted to put it on in 2002. But the rights were extremely expensive, and would have taken at least a year to acquire, so the effort was put on hold.
ReSPONSE, Montana State University-Northern's program to address relationship violence, sexual assault and stalking on campus, last year acquired the rights to put on "The Vagina Monologues" and Veis is directing the Montana Actors' Theatre production of it. The play will be produced in the Student Union Building Ballroom at 8 p.m. Feb. 19-21. The proceeds from the play will go to charities to help prevent violence against women and girls.
ReSPONSE has organized or coordinated several other events, including exhibiting student artwork submitted for the poster promoting the play, setting up an information table on campus next week, having the Northern Christian Fellowship discuss the issues in the play at its meeting this week, and presenting the Vagina Warrior award at the Feb. 21 production, ReSPONSE director Margaret Meggs said.
Judi Gomke, one of the founders of the first program to help victims of domestic violence on the Hi-Line, will receive the award, but Meggs said Gomke has made it clear she is accepting it on behalf of many people who have worked to prevent domestic violence and help its victims.
"She's representing a lot of people," Meggs said.
ReSPONSE also is organizing other events to raise awareness of the problems of violence against women and girls around the world as part of its V-Day activities, including recognizing people who work to prevent violence.
Most of the proceeds from the play will go to local groups, with 70 percent going to the District IV Human Resources Development Council's domestic abuse program and 20 percent to ReSPONSE. The remaining 10 percent will go to the Juarez project, an attempt to stop violence against women in Jaurez, Mexico, just across the border from El Paso, Texas.
In the past 10 years, more than 300 women and girls from Jaurez have disappeared or have been killed. Many of the victims were raped, mutilated and tortured, including a 6-year-old girl.
Juarez is the 2004 spotlight for V-Day, a nonprofit corporation founded by Ensler that distributes funds to help stop violence against women and girls. The "V" in V-Day stands for victory, Valentine and vagina.
The crimes in Juarez typify some of what Ensler found while she researched the play, which is based on stories from real women around the world.
"She has interviewed women truly all over the world," Veis said. "The number, the volume of women she's interviewed is staggering."
Veis traveled to Las Vegas last fall to meet with Ensler, along with 150 other people putting on the play in communities west of the Mississippi River.
"Eve met with everyone. She's this tiny little woman whose spirit filled the entire auditorium," Veis said.
She said Ensler talked about her experience writing the play and how the V-Day organization evolved.
Veis said the women in the Havre production form an amazingly diverse cast and have been wonderful to work with.
"They've been working really hard and having a good time," she said.
She said she hopes the play production and V-Day activities become an annual event in Havre, but that she also hopes to "pass the baton, so to speak. I really have enjoyed directing the play, but I intend to give it to other leaders for future productions."
Tickets for the shows cost $8 for students and $12 for nonstudents on Thursday and next Friday, and $12 for students and $25 for nonstudents at the Feb. 21 performance, which includes a reception and the presentation to Gomke. Tickets are available at the door, or at Quench & Bench, Mel's Food, Creative Leisure, the MSU-Northern Student Union Building information desk, the ReSPONSE office in the university Student Health Service building, and HRDC.Sylvia Murray, loan officer at Bear Paw Development Corp. and the grandmother of nine, said acting in "The Vagina Monologues" was a lot of work on many levels.
"It's not a frivolous activity to be in this play," said Murray, who performs the opening and closing monologues. "I think women as a whole need to see what's happening to their sisters in the world. They need to see there are things we can do," she said.
What characters in "The Vagina Monologue" say will help women escape from abusive situations, heal from previous abuse, and help others who are being abused, Murray said.
"Women have no idea how to get out. They are basically brainwashed that it's their fault, and that's totally false," she said.
Murray has been active for decades in helping women escape from domestic violence. She wants women to know there's a way out, "Because I've been there," she said.
It was only through the help of her best friend that Murray was able to escape from an abusive relationship in the early 1970s, she said.
As she grew up on a farm in Nashua, she never heard of abuse - it was hidden, never spoken of.
"Then when you're confronted with the reality of life, you're forced to take a position, because this shouldn't go on," she said.
She said the play will help women understand that if they are in an abusive situation, they are not alone and there is help. It will also help men understand women, she added.
The play is funny, sad, and thought-provoking, and it is very graphic, Murray said.
"The play can be an attention-getter. It brings reality home."
Julie Schweigert, who works at Bear Paw Credit Union, said she first heard about the production of "The Vagina Monologues" from her fellow actors in Montana Actors' Theatre. She learned that it was part of a V-Day campaign to help fund programs to increase awareness of domestic violence and other issues, and she decided she wanted to try out.
"I was very excited about being in the campaign," Schweigert said.
She said acting in the play has helped her understand more about situations she has endured, and what other women go through.
Schweigert said she once was in an abusive relationship. The play showed her that her situation paled in comparison with what some women go through, and also helped her see how bad her own experience was, and how to heal from it.
"It was bad enough. It takes down your spirit," she said.
She said looking at issues makes people better able to deal with them. Some of the problems addressed in the play become worse because people won't talk about them, she said.
"I think people are fearful of things they don't know. Obviously, the word 'vagina' is a politically correct word, but it's not a word you say out loud," Schweigert said.
There are many stories in the play, not all sad, she said.
"The comedy of it is going to make everyone laugh, even the men," Schweigert said. "I think we can all relate to (the play.) It's reality. Women go through it every day."
Lena Lamphier, a registered nurse at Northern Montana Care Center, said she had heard of "The Vagina Monologues" and had seen it on HBO before she learned that ReSPONSE and Montana Actors' Theatre were producing the play in Havre.
She said she called the director, Pam Veis, immediately.
When she heard that Veis had met with the playwright, Eve Ensler, "I knew come hell or high water I had to be a part of it," Lamphier said.
She said it will be interesting to see the community's reaction to the play.
"I think this production in particular holds a mirror up to society," Lamphier said. "But I hope people don't flinch and look away, but try to understand."
She said she likes performing her monologue, which is a funny interlude in the play. Her character is "uptight - about herself and her body and it takes a man to help her understand herself," Lamphier said.
She said the play tends to put people on edge with some of its subjects and its graphic nature.
"I decided that's a good thing. Theater is all about experiencing the unknown and walking away knowing a little more than when you came in. Or at least having an opinion or something to pursue or debate." Lamphier said.Sylvia Murray, loan officer at Bear Paw Development Corp. and the grandmother of nine, said acting in "The Vagina Monologues" was a lot of work on many levels.
"It's not a frivolous activity to be in this play," said Murray, who performs the opening and closing monologues. "I think women as a whole need to see what's happening to their sisters in the world. They need to see there are things we can do," she said.
What characters in "The Vagina Monologue" say will help women escape from abusive situations, heal from previous abuse, and help others who are being abused, Murray said.
"Women have no idea how to get out. They are basically brainwashed that it's their fault, and that's totally false," she said.
Murray has been active for decades in helping women escape from domestic violence. She wants women to know there's a way out, "Because I've been there," she said.
It was only through the help of her best friend that Murray was able to escape from an abusive relationship in the early 1970s, she said.
As she grew up on a farm in Nashua, she never heard of abuse - it was hidden, never spoken of.
"Then when you're confronted with the reality of life, you're forced to take a position, because this shouldn't go on," she said.
She said the play will help women understand that if they are in an abusive situation, they are not alone and there is help. It will also help men understand women, she added.
The play is funny, sad, and thought-provoking, and it is very graphic, Murray said.
"The play can be an attention-getter. It brings reality home."
Julie Schweigert, who works at Bear Paw Credit Union, said she first heard about the production of "The Vagina Monologues" from her fellow actors in Montana Actors' Theatre. She learned that it was part of a V-Day campaign to help fund programs to increase awareness of domestic violence and other issues, and she decided she wanted to try out.
"I was very excited about being in the campaign," Schweigert said.
She said acting in the play has helped her understand more about situations she has endured, and what other women go through.
Schweigert said she once was in an abusive relationship. The play showed her that her situation paled in comparison with what some women go through, and also helped her see how bad her own experience was, and how to heal from it.
"It was bad enough. It takes down your spirit," she said.
She said looking at issues makes people better able to deal with them. Some of the problems addressed in the play become worse because people won't talk about them, she said.
"I think people are fearful of things they don't know. Obviously, the word 'vagina' is a politically correct word, but it's not a word you say out loud," Schweigert said.
There are many stories in the play, not all sad, she said.
"The comedy of it is going to make everyone laugh, even the men," Schweigert said. "I think we can all relate to (the play.) It's reality. Women go through it every day."
Lena Lamphier, a registered nurse at Northern Montana Care Center, said she had heard of "The Vagina Monologues" and had seen it on HBO before she learned that ReSPONSE and Montana Actors' Theatre were producing the play in Havre.
She said she called the director, Pam Veis, immediately.
When she heard that Veis had met with the playwright, Eve Ensler, "I knew come hell or high water I had to be a part of it," Lamphier said.
She said it will be interesting to see the community's reaction to the play.
"I think this production in particular holds a mirror up to society," Lamphier said. "But I hope people don't flinch and look away, but try to understand."
She said she likes performing her monologue, which is a funny interlude in the play. Her character is "uptight - about herself and her body and it takes a man to help her understand herself," Lamphier said.
She said the play tends to put people on edge with some of its subjects and its graphic nature.
"I decided that's a good thing. Theater is all about experiencing the unknown and walking away knowing a little more than when you came in. Or at least having an opinion or something to pursue or debate." Lamphier said.Montana State University-Northern student Nikki Craig said she didn't know anything about Eve Ensler's play until someone told her she should try out for a play being produced at the university.
"I asked the name and they said 'Vagina Monologues,' and I said, 'I'm in," Craig said. "I didn't find out anything about the play until a week after play tryouts.
"I'm glad I'm in," she said.
She said the play deals with all aspects of being a woman.
"The play has happy vaginas and sad vaginas. It reaches across all the vaginas. When people think of 'Vagina Monologues,' they think of rape and battered women. It's really a whole bunch of women," she said. "I feel it's important for people to come and see this play. It's the truth."
She said Ensler's technique of presenting the stories as monologues, rather than as a report or a news story, is very effective.
It can also be disturbing to people who see the play, she said.
"They'll get a shock, first of all," Craig said. "They'll also get a reality check."
She said that the most important aspect of the play for women in any situation is probably finding out who they really are. TV and society tell women how they should act, what they should or shouldn't look like, she said.
The play lets the audience "see people finding out about themselves, learning to love themselves, to accept themselves," she said. "All that a woman has to do is to learn about loving yourself."
When Havre clinical psychologist Vicki Van Cleave heard that Montana Actors' Theatre was trying to put on "The Vagina Monologues" a few years ago, it caught her interest. She is acting in this year's production of it.
"I basically believe in equality and safety for everybody, men and women. I wanted to be a part of it. I thought it was important," she said.
Van Cleave said she helps patients who experience some of the problems discussed in the play.
"There is a lot of violence and trauma in this town," she said.
"The Vagina Monologues" shows the experiences of women in abusive situations and in everyday experiences, Van Cleave said.
"It accurately portrays the violence women experience and does it in a way that's palatable. It allows some humor as well as showing pain," she said.
One of the issues she hears about from patients is a basic theme of the play, Van Cleave said: Society makes it hard for women to love themselves as they are. Women are taught from childhood that they need to look a certain way, dress a certain way, look like a Barbie doll, she said.
"I think women struggle with their bodies all the time," she said. "This play, I think, shakes that up and challenges women to love themselves for who they are. I think this is good for women.
"I really hope men come to this," she added. "It gives men an opportunity to see women's issues in a way they normally can't see. People think this is for women. I think it's about loving, being connected in really deep ways."
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