Tales of war are often portrayed through the eyes of soldiers but "A Piece of My Heart" offers a different perspective.
The play being performed at The Underground at Ovation Theatre follows six women serving in different capacities during the Vietnam War.
Director Emily Thompson said she is drawn to theater and literature about wartime not for its sadness but rather a message of strength.
"These stories remind us of the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit," she wrote in an email. "Even in the face of horror and loss, people find ways to endure. To hold one another, to heal, and to move forward. Again and again, humanity transforms tragedy into understanding, pain into purpose. 'A Piece of My Heart' is one such story: a testament to survival, remembrance, and the quiet strength it takes to keep going."
Thompson said the show had been on her mind and heart since her husband, Justin, directed a production of it at Highland High School in 2019.
"Women's stories, especially those shaped by war and violence, are too often overlooked or quietly erased," she wrote. "It was imperative to me that this production honor the real women who served during the Vietnam War, many of whom returned home without recognition, support or care for the sacrifices they made."
The play follows six women who served in various capacities in the war: three nurses — Martha (Mika Vargas), Sissy (Madi Christensen) and Leann (Summer Joy Duarte) — along with MaryJo (AnnaKate Crossley), a USO performer; American Red Cross volunteer Whitney (Paige Green); and Army intelligence officer Steele (Karla Young).
Both the time during their service and their post-war years are presented, showing the audience the struggles and sacrifices that they made both overseas and stateside.
These characters are drawn from countless first-hand testimonies, "representing voices that were too long ignored," Thompson said.
Helping the cast prepare for the production was dramaturg Jessica Jensen, whom Thompson said was a wonderful asset during the first few weeks of rehearsal, researching and compiling facts for the cast, giving mini-lessons on daily life in the military during the Vietnam War, and answering questions about some of the content.
The director also looked to the book "Home Before Morning" by Lynda Van Devanter, a memoir published more than a decade after the author returned from serving as a nurse in Vietnam.
"Heart" is only the second production being performed at The Underground, the new black-box theater in the basement of Ovation Theatre. Thompson knew upon seeing The Underground's inaugural outing — "35MM" in June — that it was the place for her show.
"The intimacy of the space, and the way it held me as an audience member, stayed with me long after," she wrote. "Within a few weeks, (artistic director) Hal (Friedman) and I sat down for a conversation that led us to this moment."
In the space, the audience is set up around a three-quarter round black box that has a very intimate feel, allowing actors to get pretty close to the audience, Thompson said.
"It's a really cool experience as an audience member."
Another special addition for the show are performances (Jan. 10, 11, 15, 16 and 17) with American Sign Language interpreters.
"Accessibility is something we should all be striving for," Thompson wrote of offering the interpretation with Kirsten Frazer and Alec Brenoel, certified ASL interpreters who work with the Kern High School District.
"Over the last few years, I've been really fortunate to work with some incredible deaf actors and ASL interpreters at Highland, and those collaborations made me much more aware of how meaningful access can be for both artists and audiences.
"Kirsten and Alec are so passionate about their jobs and the three of us have been trying to find ways to use their talent and skills to open the doors for more accessibility in community theatre. Theatre has the power to be one of the most welcoming and inclusive spaces we create, and expanding access is not an extra consideration, it is central to what theatre should be."
Thompson said they will interpret onstage alongside the actors, "shadowing them throughout the performance and fully immersing themselves in the world of the play."
"With this approach, we are hoping that the interpretation will feel dynamic and theatrical, and that it will help create a shared experience where deaf and hearing audiences are engaging with the story together in the same space," she wrote.
The director invites audiences to lean into the stories of the show and "to listen closely, to seek out the pieces of our history that have been forgotten or pushed aside, and to carry them forward so we do not repeat them."
"Their willingness to bear witness to this discomfort, empathy, and remembrance is what keeps these stories alive," she wrote.
The show plays at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Jan. 15, 16 and 17 with a matinee at 2 p.m. Sunday at the theater, 1622 19th St.
Admission is $20. Tickets are available at theovationtheatre.com.