This Friday, Anna MacKay-Smith and 20 local women pay tribute to the men in their lives through poetry, songs, dance and stories in the AhMen Project.

Following on the success of the MOM (Musings on Motherhood) Project, AhMen tackles men -- husbands, fathers, brothers, uncles, friends, MacKay-Smith said. The good and the bad are dealt with in segments written by the women who act out these personal stories.

"It's about community and communication," she said. "It's about our emotional relationships with men. It's about the emotional relationships with the men in our lives. It's about fear and love and hurt and joy and happiness and contentment and marriage."

And lest anyone think AhMen is male-bashing, MacKay-Smith is there to set them straight.

"It is anything but. It's a real tribute to men and to the ability of women to forgive. It's really fun. There are some tough stories but it's very entertaining."

Anyone who comes out to the show, men or women, will be touched by it, she said.

The process of putting the show together began a year ago, when a group of women got together, shared their stories about men and then began writing them. In the fall, MacKay-Smith took those stories, selected which ones she wanted in the show and put together AhMen with them. In December, the women involved found out which stories they were telling (usually not their own) and rehearsals started.

Few of the women involved have ever been on stage, MacKay-Smith said.

"These are people who have a story to tell."

The stories range from the funny to entertaining to tough -- "tough to tell, tough to hear," she said.

The women involved have formed a strong bond, one that will no doubt last like the one from MOM. The MOMs, as they are called, still get together, still support each other, she said. And the new MOMs (AhMen is subtitled Musings on Men) will be part of that, MacKay-Smith said.

During the run of the show, there will be a MOM Gallery, displays by women involved in the MOM Project, whether they be artists, writers or businesswomen. Books/scripts on MOM and AhMen will also be for sale during the show.

Working with MacKay-Smith are Jane Loewen on the music and Nancy Einsmann on the choreography.

Proceeds from the show go to the Uxbridge Youth Centre and Uxbridge Arts Association.

AhMen runs March 28, 29, April 3, 4, 5 at 8 p.m. and March 30 and April 6 at 3 p.m. at the Uxbridge Music Hall. Tickets are $20 and available at Blue Heron Books, by calling 416-938-7649 or by sending an e-mail to ahmenproject@gmail.com.