Interview: Playwright Lester Probst on VOLUN-TEARS, A World Premiere Play About Sexual Harassment in the Military

ArtsUP! LA is presenting the world premiere of Volun-Tears, a powerful play by Korean War Veteran Lester Probst (pictured), based on the true experiences of women who have suffered sexual harassment and sexual abuse while serving in the United States Armed Forces, performed by U.S. Veterans. I decided to speak with Lester Probst on what inspired him to write the play and what message he hopes to instill in audience members to start the road to achieving equality within the ranks of our military, especially for women.

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me about Volun-Tears. First, I'd like to ask you about your theatrical background. Have you written other plays, performed onstage, or worked behind the scenes on any productions?

I have no background in entertainment, but I have several members of my family with careers in writing, acting, and performing. At the age of 88, I co-wrote a two-act play called Grandfathered-Where War Never Ends with several other veterans at the EST Theater in Atwater Village, CA. I also co-wrote and acted in a two-minute student film called Woke-Grandpa, and with the Veterans Empowerment Theatre (VET) I wrote and performed in several monologue events. I also wrote and performed a live nine-minute comedy set at The Blue Door Theater for the VET organization.

How many years did you serve in the military, either before, during or after the Korean War?

I served on active duty in the U.S. Army Infantry from March 17, 1953 until January 6, 1955. From July of 1953 until the late Spring of 1954, I served with the 40th Army Division on the Korean DMZ, and rotated home in late December of 1954.

Do you recall witnessing any sexual harassment between soldiers during your years in the military?

No, because during the Korean War the only women in the military that I saw were nurses, and I only saw them from a distance when I walked guard duty.

What career did you decide to follow once you left military service?

I actually wrote a letter from a bunker in the Korean DMZ to NYU asking to be enrolled in their Engineering School when and if I returned from Korea. I was accepted, and in 1954, I entered their program using the GI Bill and graduated in 1959 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. I worked in the newly created field of digital computers, and formed several computer companies until I retired in 2002.

And given how the digital world took off, that was a smart decision! As someone who has been following the work of Veterans Empowerment Theatre, were you inspired to write Volun-Tears after seeing or being in one of their previous productions?

In 2019, I attended a performance at The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles where six veterans from various branches told their stories of service. The main thread in each of the women's stories was how unhappy their service time was because they did not receive the same benefits as the men. Moreover, they expressed very vividly how they were continuously harassed by the men and even raped. Since I myself had mixed emotions about women (my daughters) serving in the military, and since I had a high regard for my own time in the military, I had to find out why the women felt the way they did.

How did you conduct research on the subject to write the play?

Since I belong to the American Legion, I had access to many women who not only served but, in some cases, had also experienced combat. I reached out to them to hear their stories and was horrified to find out how unfairly they were treated. This led to my research on the internet, reading stories and different government studies learning about the treatment of women in the military.

What were you surprised to learn from their first-hand accounts?

I never expected to hear veterans talk so badly about their years of service. No matter what and when I served, I enjoyed my time in the military. I turned down Officers Training School because it was not a career that I wanted, but being in the service totally turned my life around.

I'm sure many veterans feel the exact same way, given the opportunities afforded to them both during and after leaving miliary service. Are any of the people you interviewed involved with the production of the play?

None of the women whom I interviewed are involved with this production. But one of the women, a retired Colonel, did participate in the first table read of the play at the Veterans Empowerment Theater.

I hope those interviewed will be attending the upcoming production at The Blue Door. Were you involved in bringing Tony Lugo to direct your play?

Bryan Caldwell, our ArtsUP! LA Producer, brought Tony in to direct my play. But Tony and I participated in this summer's Veterans Monologue program at The Geffen Playhouse, so we had met and worked together previously.

Have you been involved in the rehearsal process, perhaps doing re-writes along the way?

Yes, there were suggestions from Tony and our actors along the way which made for a positive learning experience.

Can you tell me something about the military background of the actors in the play?

Members of the cast and production crew represent the U.S. Army and the Marines.

As they have been doing for several years, Veterans Empowerment Theatre started a dialogue about the current culture inside the military to shine a light on military sexual trauma among its ranks. Is that also your vision for creating the play, or is there an even more personal reason?

Yes. I feel strongly about our military and its role in protecting this country. Our military must remain strong, and therefore we must do all we can so women and men can feel secure knowing that they will not be harassed, assaulted, or raped by those who are supposed to be their brothers-in-arms.

Based on your research, what are some of the important changes needed to transform and create sexual equality within the miliary? Or do you feel the problem is systematic within all parts of our society?

This is above my pay grade, but I would love to talk to the VA or others more qualified in this area. As a first step, I believe sexual harassment awareness training has to be given the first day that a recruit shows up for service, especially since testosterone concentration is at its highest within the confines of a military base. I hate using the word systematic, but yes, sexual harassment goes on each and every day in the civilian world too.

Unfortunately, that is very true. I know sexual harassment training is taking place across the U.S. workforce, given the awareness started during the #MeToo movement. Along that line, have any discussions taken place to bring your play to a wider audience?

I hope this play reaches a wider audience because we have to do whatever it takes to eliminate sexual harassment period. It's plain wrong, and does a disservice to the honor of our military.

And to our society in general. What else would you like to tell readers about the play?

What more can I say? Please come so this great non-profit company can continue its work!

Volun-Tears, written by Lester Probst, is being presented by Veterans Empowerment Theatre (VET) and produced by ArtsUP! LA, for two weekends: Friday, Dec 9 - Sunday Dec 11, 2022, and Friday, Jan 6 - Sunday, Jan 8, 2023, on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 6pm at The Blue Door Theatre, 9617 Venice Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232. Single tickets are priced at $20, with $10 tickets available for Vets, people with disabilities, seniors, and students, available online at www.artsupla.org Street parking is available in the area, or in city parking lots nearby. Please read all parking signs carefully.

ArtsUP! LA is a nonprofit theater and arts program serving people with disabilities, military veterans, and opportunity youth. They remove barriers to participation and provide unlimited possibilities for artistic expression, building diverse artists and audiences who are changing how the arts are presented and experienced. https://www.artsupla.org/about.html

Veterans Empowerment Theatre features a variety of performing arts workshops and opportunities that give our nation's brave service members a safe environment to voice their own heroic stories, personal tragedies, triumphs, and experiences through theatre. https://www.artsupla.org/programs/veterans-empowerment-theatre

Production photos courtesy of Veterans Empowerment Theatre and ArtsUp! LA

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