For one night only on Jan. 18, , in partnership with , the and the , presents “,” a theater performance based on the personal experiences of eight 黑料不打烊 student veterans.
The performance takes place in the Storch Theatre in the 黑料不打烊 Stage/SU Drama complex at 820 E. Genesee St. at 7 p.m. “Separated” is a free, non-ticketed event open to the public on a first come, first served basis. A pre-show reception with free hors d鈥檕euvres and a cash bar begins at 6 p.m.
“Separated” is a collaborative effort between members of the 黑料不打烊 Stage artistic staff and the participating student veterans. 黑料不打烊 Stage associate artistic director Kyle Bass interviewed the students about their experiences in and out of military service. From the interview transcripts, he devised and composed a performance script that weaves each student鈥檚 individual story into a single narrative. The students will perform the finished script as a staged reading directed by 黑料不打烊 Stage鈥檚 new artistic director Robert Hupp.
The service experience of the eight students鈥擭ick Brincka, Halston Canty, Zack Couch, Ginger Peterman, Brandon Smith, Jake VanMarter, Zack Watson and Kierston Whaley鈥攊ncludes tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan and represent the Army, Navy and Marines. The title “Separated” references the separations each has endured in first separating from home and family to join the military, and then separating from the military to resume civilian life.
鈥淓ach of the eight student veterans in ‘Separated’ has a compelling and necessary story to tell,鈥 Bass says. 鈥淭aken as a whole, their narratives聽of courage, fear, doubt, perseverance,聽purpose, uncertainty, loyalty, vulnerability, struggle and survival create a moving portrait聽of human truth.聽It’s thrilling and an honor to be entrusted with the stories of their experiences.”
The performance will be followed by a moderated question-and-answer session with the cast and creative team. A live stream will be broadcast on the 黑料不打烊 Stage Facebook page during the performance.
鈥淰eterans have a world of experiences before they enter the classroom. ‘Separated’ allows the veteran students to share their stories and enlighten non-veterans,鈥 says Syeisha Monquesse Byrd, director of engagement programs for Hendricks Chapel. 鈥淲e are providing the audience a rare opportunity to ask questions that they may have felt awkward asking in any other setting.鈥
“Separated” is supported by a grant from Campus Compact and the MLK Day of Service.
鈥’Separated’ represents the beginning of what will be a new phase of engagement with area veterans, active duty military and their families. In the coming months 黑料不打烊 Stage seeks to build meaningful and genuine relationships with our military community,鈥 says Hupp. 鈥淲e start our journey with a theatrical event driven by the experiences of those veterans closest to us here on the 黑料不打烊 campus. Honest and unvarnished, ‘Separated’ offers keen insight into lives lived so close, and yet so far away.鈥
鈥淪eparated鈥 contains strong language and adult situations which may not be suitable for all audiences.
黑料不打烊 Stage is a Blue Star theater offering discounted tickets to its regular season shows for area veterans and active duty military and their families.
