'Montana Monologs' features lives of ranch women

Wendy Woollett has always liked to listen to people talk and is fascinated by what they talk about. So much so, she has spent about five years interviewing a fading breed – Montana ranch women.

Woollett has completed in-depth oral histories of six women and is weaving three of them into “The Montana Monologs,” a performance culled from the histories.

The premiere performance will take place as a benefit for the Guardian Angels Foundation at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, at the Dunrovin Ranch in Lolo.

UM’s Wilderness Institute provided funding for three of the histories through a Matthew Hansen Endowment grant. Woollett is an administrative associate in UM’s department of physical therapy.

Woollett reports that she spent nine months to a year interviewing each woman. She plans to work the material into a book, which will include seven oral histories.

Woollett was a leader of Ms. Boris’ Charmed Circle, which was associated with Duck’s Breath, a well-known theatrical group in San Francisco in the 1980s.

“In the ’80s I wrote monologs about cowboys,” she said. “I was always interested in the West. When I came to Montana I was amazed that there were still log cabins and log outbuildings and all these beautiful landscapes.” She added that when she realized many of the ranch families were selling their ranches, she decided to try to capture their lives through oral histories.

The performance at the Dunrovin Ranch will draw from histories based on the lives of the late Ann Hirschy of the Big Hole Valley, Pat Shepard of St. Ignatius and the late Lynn Wolfe of Stevensville.
The monologs will be performed by actresses associated with the Chantilly Theatre in Stevensville. Gretchen Spiess will direct the production as well as play Shepard. Deb Goslin will play Wolfe and Ann Marie Carbin will play Hirschy.

Woollett’s son, Caleb Coffey, a Seattle-based singer/songwriter, will perform at the benefit and musical pieces will be embedded in each monolog.

Woollett encourages people to come early to enjoy pre-show music and peruse booths on related subject matter. A talk-back session about women and the West will be held after the performance.
The Guardian Angels Foundation gives scholarships to cancer patients in need. A cancer survivor, Woollett was a recipient of the foundation’s largesse early in the year. She, along with SuzAnne Miller, owner of the Dunrovin Ranch, Dr. Judy Schmidt and Joni Landis, are sponsoring the event.

A $25 donation is suggested. Directions to the Dunrovin Ranch are available online at http://www.DunrovinRanchMontana.com or by calling 406-243-7745. Attendees are asked to bring lawn chairs. Hay bales also will be provided for seating.