World Premiere Musical/Concert Experience SOUND OF THE GUNS Comes to Firehouse

Firehouse Theatre has announced the performance schedule and creative team for SOUND OF THE GUNS -- a world premiere musical/concert experience written by Jim O'Ferrell with his band The J.O.B. The title of this unique concert production comes from a military saying that if you get lost on the battlefield you should move toward the sound of the guns.

SOUND OF THE GUNS takes place over two long days in a soldier's life -- one in 2006 as an active duty U.S. Army Sergeant in the Iraq War, and ten years later in 2016 as a veteran back home. SOUND OF THE GUNS is a rock concert experience with The J.O.B. performing songs that O'Ferrell wrote about his years as a soldier and a veteran, while four actors perform the scenes that tell the story of a soldier's life in combat and his journey back home.

SOUND OF THE GUNS begins on Thursday, June 22 and runs for ten performances thru July 14, 2023 at Richmond's Firehouse Theatre.

SOUND OF THE GUNS is directed by Firehouse's outgoing producing artistic director Joel Bassin. The cast includes Mike Fletcher, Enrique J. Gonzalez, Alex Harris, and Trevor Lawson. The J.O.B. musicians are Ronnie Thomas (drums), Craig Babich (bass guitar & backing vocals), Jason Crawford (lead guitar), and Jim O'Ferrell (guitar & vocals). The production team includes Todd Labelle (production designer), Laura Vitale (costume designer), Jake Buccella (assistant director), Ari Silva (assistant stage manager), and Emily Vial (stage manager).

Jim O'Ferrell enlisted into the U.S. Army after high school and began a specialized training program to serve as an Airborne Ranger in the elite 2nd Ranger Battalion. He became an instructor at U.S. Army Ranger School at Ft. Benning, GA. He deployed twice to Iraq and served in and around Baghdad, Ramadi, Tikrit, and Mosul. He was twice decorated with the Bronze Star and received the Combat Infantry badge, the Combat Action badge, and the Navy Achievement medal. He was decorated with the Legion of Merit upon his retirement from the service. His peacetime awards and decorations include multiple Meritorious Service medals, Army Commendation medals, Army Achievement medals, and a meritorious appointment to the Sergeant Audie Murphy Association. When he left the Army in 2008, O'Ferrell formed The J.O.B. (The Jim O'Ferrell Band) to record and perform songs he'd written when he was on active duty.

Firehouse's community partners for SOUND OF THE GUNS are Liberation Veteran Services and VFW Post 6364. Additional support has been provided by the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States.

SOUND OF THE GUNS tickets are at SOTGrva.eventbrite.com. For information about Firehouse Theatre go to firehousetheatre.org.

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