Syracuse Stage and the Institute for Veterans and Military Families honor the nation’s military veterans with a staged reading of “War Words,” a Pulitzer Prize nominated play by Michelle Kholos Brooks based on the real-life experiences of those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Directed by Syracuse Stage artistic director Robert Hupp and featuring a cast of nine, “War Words” is scheduled for one performance only, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m., in the Tan Auditorium in the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building, 101 Waverly Ave.
“War Words” is presented in partnership with the Atlantic Council and sponsored locally by SAAB Inc. Tickets are free and the program is open to the public. Register for tickets or call the Syracuse Stage Box Office at 315.443.3275.
“War Words” depicts the funny, strange, heroic and heartbreaking stories of men and women who served in Iraq and Afghanistan based on the playwright’s interviews with these veterans and their families.
Syracuse Stage is one of six theaters across the country presenting “War Words” in association with Veterans Day celebrations. Theaters in New York, Miami, Philadelphia, Fort Worth and Los Angeles have also scheduled readings.
A goal of the Atlantic Council, the Washington, D.C., based think tank behind the “War Words” project, is to make readings of the play an annual tradition to engage communities with those who have served in the military. A nonprofit nonpartisan organization, the council galvanizes U.S. leadership and engagement in the world, in partnership with allies and partners, to shape solutions to global challenges. The “War Words” Project is one expression of its aspiration not just to analyze challenges but to inspire, seek and implement solutions to them.
Former commander of the International Security Assistance Force and commander of U.S. Forces-Afghanistan retired General David Petraeus says, “Few movies or plays have ever captured for me as powerfully as War Words . . . the experiences of American veterans, especially those who have served in uniform since 9/11.”
A video introduction by Petraeus precedes the reading and a reception follows.
“It’s an honor for Syracuse Stage to be included in this national project,” says Hupp. “Brooks’ new play is a dramatic exploration of the veteran experience; it brings their words to vivid life and gives us all a firsthand account of what it meant to be part of our country’s more recent overseas conflicts. It’s a humanizing process and the actors we’ve assembled give voice to 17 engaging and distinct veterans and their families. Our Central New York military veterans and their families are valued by everyone at Syracuse Stage, and we are pleased to continue our engagement with the University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families with this staged reading.”
At the door, audience members will be required to show proof of full COVID vaccination, or for those not vaccinated, a negative test result from either an antigen-type test within six hours prior to entry or a PCR-type test within 72 hours prior to entry at the theater. Masks will be required at all times by everyone regardless of vaccination status, except while eating or drinking in designated areas.
