City High School, downtown Tucson: 75 students and several veterans in the audience (Kim, Jamie, and teacher Tom Moore's mom who was a nurse in Viet Nam). Jeanmarie breaks down when she catches the eye of Tom's mom during the piece in the play written from the point of view of a Viet Nam nurse. . .and again during a reference to a Viet Nam era marching song (gruesome lyrics). Later she says it was one of those performances that was definitely not phoned in (meaning, it wasn't going to get any more real than that).
Here is what some of those students said:
"I feel like I never want to serve. I feel like I need to get up right now and go. I feel like smacking him in the face and shooting down his morale. I feel like hugging him silently, and crying into his hand. I feel like going with him, so I can be there and do it with him. The pain is the same for women, and I want to feel it."
"The world is hurting."
"You should have more pro military stories. I know multiple soldiers who are women and they're experiences were much different. I heard some stories from the Gulf War and a lot has changed since then."
"I feel so heart broken that even living in the 21st century that women do not get the respect they deserve even with bravery, desperately fighting for their country. I actually cried. I never cry. Incredible. Truly incredible."
"I feel extremely overwhelmed because no woman should have to experience such pain. . ."
"I thought comrades were supposed to help you not harm you."
"I feel amazed at how much sexism there is among people who are supposed to be the heroes of our country."
"I believe people are getting smarter and more open and loving as time goes on. Even though it would be so amazing to be so capable and strong, it's a better feeling to not even need strength to fight."
"I was so ignorant about what people at war go through. The most I experience is in video games where nothing so intense happens."
"I can't get how people go about their business during the day let alone sleep at night knowing that people are being tortured, dying, starving and yet. . . we don't even bother to lift a finger."
"I feel sad and confused about the truth of what happens to women in the army. No one should be treated like that."
"I feel ashamed, outraged and disgraced at being male. . . my eyes are now open to the problems."
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