ON THE FRONT LINE: Three Generations of Soldiers' Voices
Los Angeles, CA - The stories of a diverse group of California veterans from World War II through Iraq: gathered from interviews by Los Angeles actors/writers and told in a dramatic narrative to be shared with the veterans themselves and with us, the citizens they served. Their experiences touch on issues of equal rights, self-identity, and the long-lasting consequences of war in the hearts and minds of the soldiers who fought in them. This project was generated by a California Council for the Humanities “California Stories” grant and will be performed October 29 on the Loyola Marymount University Campus, and November 10 and November 11 (Veteran’s Day), at The Actors’ Gang Theatre in Culver City.
The "Soldier's Voices" project will produce a dramatic evening based on the stories of eleven California veterans from three different war generations: World War II, Korea and Vietnam, and the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Using a workshop format developed by project staff, and informed by the insights of consulting humanities experts from several disciplines, the project allowed the vets to articulate their stories. The veterans, all drawn from Southern California residents and/or veterans from the WLA VA Center, were paired with professional writers who helped them find their "voice" and communicate their experiences through the means of dramatic narratives. The piece will be professionally produced and performed in three performances only, October 29, Murphy Hall, Loyola Marymount University, Westchester/Los Angeles; and November 10 and 11 at The Actors’ Gang Theatre in Culver City.
Each performance will include post play discussion and opportunity for audience dialogue with project participants, staff and humanities experts.
Importance of the project: VA volunteers have identified a key problem among the veterans they work with as the lack of understanding among veterans from different wars. The thematic purpose of the Soldiers' Voices project, therefore, is to show not only the differences between "war cultures," but also the experiences they share, from the battlefield to the impact on their lives at home.
Importance of the project to California: over 500 dead, 3300 other casualties - that is the price paid by Californians in Iraq and Afghanistan - more than any other state in the U.S. These sobering statistics show how important and timely it is to bring Soldiers' Voices to the people of California now. For ourselves as well as for them, we must do all we can to share and preserve the stories of our California veterans from the several generations of war in our times. For our younger veterans, particularly those recently returned from combat, the storytelling and dramatization process will become part of their reintegration into life at home by providing them with the opportunity to relate their experiences to each other and other generations of veterans and to re-connect with civilians, project writers and actors, as well as audiences in the Los Angeles area where our performances will take place.
WHAT:
ON The Front Line : Three generations of soldiers voices – The stories of a diverse group of California veterans from World War II through Iraq: gathered from interviews by Los Angeles actors/writers and told in a dramatic narrative to be shared with the veterans themselves and with us, the citizens they served.
WHO:
True stories from: Mike Baldrige (Marines, Vietnam), Thad Rasuli Ballew (Navy, Vietnam), Wendy Baranco (Army, Iraq), Abraham Salazar Beruman (Marines, Iraq), Col. Franklin J. Henderson (Army, Korea), J.W. Holman (Army, Vietnam), David Jennett (Navy, WWII), Chris Mandia (Marines, Iraq), Vincent Migliazzo (Army, WWII), George M. Omi (Army, Korea), Delton Sutherland (Army, Iraq).
Contributing Artists: Directed by Judith Royer, C.S.J., edited by Doris Baizley. Contributing Artists: Linda Bannister, Doris Baizley, Catharine Christof, Harry Cronin, April Fitzsimmons, Johnny Garofalo, Joyce Guy, Jim Holmes, James E. Hurd, Jr., Greg Koppenhaver, Howard Lavick, Michaela Lavick, Luis Jimenez, Chris Mandia, Ken Narasaki, Marsha Oseas, Nicole Rossi, Scot Smith, Christopher Sweeney, and DeSean Terry, and Alex Van Doren.
Presented by:
Loyola Marymount University College of Communication and Fine Arts,
Department of Theater and Dance and Playwrights Center Stage in association with The California Council for the Humanities, California Stories Project.
WHEN and WHERE:
October 29th @ 7:30 PM , Murphy Hall, Loyola Marymount University
1 LMU Drive Los Angeles, CA
November 10th and 11th @ 8:00 PM
at The Actors’ Gang Theater
9070 Venice Blvd. Culver City, CA
HOW:
Reservations and information call 310-670-0362 or by email jroyer@earthlink.net
TICKETS:
Admission Free – ALL VETERANS WELCOME
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