Raleigh Little Theatre's Three-Play Series WOMEN AND WAR Showcases the Roles and Experiences of Women During Times of War

By: Jan. 24, 2017
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Raleigh Little Theatre presents "Women and War", a three-play series as part of the Season of Discovery, which will run throughout the month of May. This series includes three plays - "A Piece of My Heart," "Downrange: Voices from the Homefront" and "Grounded" as well as a workshop for military families dedicated to creating personal narratives. All three plays will be presented in the Gaddy-Goodwin Teaching Theatre.

"Grounded" by George Brant is presented through a partnership with Sonorous Road Productions, which revives its acclaimed production from December 2015. "Downrange: Voices from the Homefront" is Mike Wiley's original play, commissioned by Cape Fear Regional Theatre, which premiered in Fayetteville in March 2016.

Artistic Director Patrick Torres laid the groundwork for a partnership with the NC State Extension Military Outreach Program to make sure North Carolina's large military community is included and involved in this experience. "We created the "Women and War" series in our 2016/17 Season of Discovery to give voice to stories often left out of conversations about warfare - the stories of the countless women who have experienced war as caretakers, soldiers, performers and have maintained homes and families while loved ones were deployed. The three plays in the series give us a multifaceted look at the impact women have had on our country through their service," Torres explains.

While many plays discuss war, most focus on the crises themselves and the men involved. Though those stories are important, theatre has a responsibility to reflect the human experience as a whole, not simply the experiences of a traditional perspective. The "Women and War" series covers a broad range of war experiences- from being deployed to waiting back home to reconciling combat and family life- from the often overlooked perspective of women. RLT hopes this program will enlighten the community's understanding of the realities of living in wartime. "Downrange: Voices from the Homefront" will have additional meaning for the military families RLT engages as it will allow them to see their own experiences reflected onstage.

The centerpiece of the series is "A Piece of My Heart," playing from May 5 - 21, which had previously been announced. It is directed by Mia Self, Assistant Director of Acting and Directing at NC State's University Theatre. "I've yet to speak to someone who has worked on or seen a production of "A Piece of My Heart" who hasn't offered up some version of the phrase 'what a powerful piece of theatre.' The play has a visceral impact that bridges the decades. The Vietnam War can feel so far removed until stories remind us that we live and work with those impacted by these events. "A Piece of My Heart" gives voice to the thousands who served alongside them in military and civilian capacities - the nurse, the administrator, the performer from the USO. Their stories about the desire to serve, to help, to entertain are as rich and deep as the soldier on the front line," said Self.

During "A Piece of My Heart," the audience will get to know the character Whitney, a fresh college graduate who joins the American Red Cross as a nurse in Vietnam. The show runs at a pivotal time for the Eastern North Carolina Red Cross as the region celebrates 100 Years of Service in 2017. Before the performance on Thursday, January 18, patrons will hear from Ms. Larry Hines, a real Red Cross volunteer who deployed to Vietnam.

Michelle Murray Wells, Owner & Artistic Director of Sonorous Road Productions, feels a personal connection to the "Women and War" series as she herself is a military spouse who has dealt with deployment and how military service affects family life. "I am beyond excited about collaborating on this project in order to bring "Grounded" to life on the RLT stage. It's an honor to be able to tell the story of a female fighter-pilot simultaneously dealing with stresses at home and on the warfront. This is also the first collaboration between Sonorous Road and RLT and I look forward to working together to shed more light on these critical human topics," said Wells.

In the past, RLT has partnered with Operation Military Kids, now called the NC State Extension Military Outreach Program, an organization that provides support to children and youth affected by deployment. RLT will offer free tickets for "Grounded" and "Downrange" to families involved in this program and invite them to participate in a one-hour workshop on creating personal narratives. The workshop mimics the process playwright Mike Wiley used to write "Downrange" to help audience members explore and share their own stories.

This project is supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. Also supported by a grant from the Paul Green Foundation, Inc., serving the arts and human rights since 1982 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Tickets for all events at RLT can be purchased by calling the box office (919)-821-3111, Monday through Friday, noon to 5:00 p.m., or by visiting the theatre's website at www.raleighlittletheatre.org.

Show Information

All plays performed in RLT's Gaddy-Goodwin Theatre, 301 Pogue Street, Raleigh, NC

A Piece of My Heart

By Shirley Lauro

Directed by Mia Self

May 5-21, 2017

Thursday-Saturday 8pm

Sunday 3pm

Downrange: Voices from the Homefront

By Mike Wiley

Directed by Deb Royals

Friday, May 26 at 8pm

Saturday, May 27 at 3pm

Grounded

By George Brant

Directed by Jerome Davis

Featuring Michelle Murray Wells

Saturday, May 27 at 8pm

Sunday, May 28 at 3pm

About Raleigh Little Theatre:

Founded in 1936, Raleigh Little Theatre (RLT) is one of the oldest, continuously operating, community theatres in the United States. RLT offers entertainment, education, and community programs year-round, reaching 40,000 people. As a community theatre, RLT engages hundreds of volunteers, under the guidance of professional staff, to achieve its mission and to bring quality live theatre to the Triangle area. Visit www.raleighlittletheatre.org for more information. Raleigh Little Theatre is located at 301 Pogue St., Raleigh, N.C. 27607, adjacent to the Raleigh Rose Garden.

 

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