There’s no business like show business, especially for telling a compelling story. Musicals have been written about such oddities as pay toilets, (Urinetown), and cannibalism, (Sweeny Todd). The use of a personal dramatic narrative and musical lyrics make the story more immediate. "Domestic Violence, the Musical?" was developed to make the story of domestic violence a real concern to a largely apathetic community.

In El Paso, in 2001, Lisa Fertic, after a nine-year abusive relationship, was killed. Her mother, Linda King, set about telling her daughter’s story and the story of domestic abuse in general.

“How did it get to be a musical?” I asked. It seemed to be an odd juxtaposition of ideas. The playwright and lyricist Loren Marsters said “Nobody’s ever attacked this subject matter this way. There is always someone on stage crying and being beaten. Nobody talked about how it got to that place and how to put out the fire. Everyone asks, ‘Why doesn’t she just leave?’ This show answers that question.”

Almost everyone knows domestic violence is a problem: about one in three women in the U.S. have been abused physically or emotionally by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives. Linda found that, amazing as those statistics are, to most people, they are simply numbers. The myths about domestic violence are more powerful than the facts. While each individual story is different, the progression from one phase to another is rather consistent, like a disease running its often-fatal course. When Linda talked to business and community leaders, she found complacency and disinterest. Through her work as a board member with the El Paso Crime Victims Council, the El Paso Center Against Family Violence and as a certified Teen Presenter for Dating Violence Awareness, Linda also realized that the message just wasn’t coming across through lectures. She felt that teens would identify more if it were approached in a theatrical manner.

Then she met Marsters, an advertising producer, who listened to the stories and decided it would work well as a theatre piece. “When he suggested ‘Domestic Violence, the Musical?’ I was shocked, but then I thought it would be a good way to attract attention,” said Linda. She would tell him about events in Lisa’s life; what happened, how the abuse progressed, how it escalated and why Lisa left and kept coming back. Loren wrote the songs.

He started researching all the stage productions that dealt what the victim was going through. He says, “Because there is no gender, race, religion, ethnicity, social class, etc., the audience does not have a ‘face’ to put on the abuser. Domestic Violence, the Musical puts that face on an abuser, gives him (or her) a personality. These two are very arrogant AND PROUD OF WHAT THEY DO.” A musical line in the show has the perpetrator saying, “We abusers beat up the mind before we ever use the fist.” The audience can see how the victim is first manipulated emotionally and how it escalates to isolation and physical abuse.

Each song is in a different style, reflecting the fact that domestic violence affects every area of society. The musical evolved into a single story line of a victim and an abuser. It may not sound funny, but there are many moments of humor in this show. The steps of the relationship are followed in musical numbers. Dispelling the myths, “Just Plain Bull” is told in a tent-revival gospel style. The question of how the abuser thinks is explained in “It’s Not My Fault”, a soft shoe dance number. “The Gift He Gives” is a Latin Reggae piece about the inevitable apology and remorseful gift. The whole show, even the dialogue, is in rhyme and verse. The actors are continually engaged interactively with the audience.

Marsters told me, ”Unless it is one of your family members being beaten up, no one gives a rip. Our show is about community responsibility. But the story does not take responsibility off of the victims. They must make a change before they can expect members of the community to step up and help. It doesn’t let anybody off the hook.” Marsters continues, “It is a respectfully irreverent way of fighting domestic violence. The show doesn’t preach. The only way to describe it is ‘come and see it.’” One professional domestic violence advisor told Marsters “I didn’t know whether to clap, to laugh or to cry.” Another advocate told King, “This is my training manual put to music.”

King stresses that this is all about prevention. The community has a responsibility to be knowledgeable about what is appropriate to say and NOT to say. After each show, people will be available to offer training opportunities and information on available services and advice on what to do and how to help a friend.

Linda King and Marsters brought the production to Stephanie Dodson, Executive. Director of the Center Against Family Violence. Dodson says, “This is such an important production because the problem cuts across all lines of socioeconomic, cultural, religious and age levels in our community. We have very stereotypical notions of domestic violence and that’s not what the typical situation is at all. It so much about power and control”.

The Center Against Domestic Violence is an emergency 24/7 shelter for survivors of domestic violence, men, women and children. They also have permanent ongoing support services (www.cafv.org). The Transitional Living Center of the YWCA is another important resource in this community for victims of domestic violence. Both of these organizations will be the beneficiaries of this big three-performance fundraiser.

Hector Serrano is the local liaison for the production. “First, I was taken aback by the title, but when I heard the songs and listened to the story the first time, I thought that this will work and be more interesting than just hearing about it,” said Serrano, who arranged for local talent to audition and for the use of local venues. “The playwright is directing it here. He is very enthusiastic and knows what he wants. I think that for the purpose for which it was written, to make people aware of the situation, is very, very effective."

The play will be presented three times at three different locations. The world premier will be at EPCC Trans Mountain Forum Theatre on July 11 at 7:30 pm. It will be repeated July 12 at the Chamizal National Park Theatre at 7:30 p.m. and a matinee on July 13 at the Philanthropy Theatre at 2 p.m. Tickets for each performance are $10 in advance and $15 at the door and all proceeds go to help fund the services of the CAFV and the YWCA’s TLC. Presales are available at the Family Resource Center 580 Giles and at Administrative office for YWCA 1918 Texas. Call 593-1000 for more information. For more information on Linda King’s mission, go to www.fixthehurt.com.