Review: Boys to Baghdad - Rory Sheriff

AWARD-WINNING STAGE PLAY,
BOYS TO BAGHDAD
WRITTEN BY: Rory D. Sheriff

"To the Left, The Left, The Left Right Left!" Boys to Baghdad (BtB), winner of the 2016 Chicago's Taste of Theatre's Playwright Award, written by award-winning playwright Rory D. Sheriff, takes you on a "coming-to-age" journey of family, romance, brotherhood and military life foretold through the seemingly biographical story of the main character, Huey Shareef, (Jonathan Caldwell). It's a story of comradery formed between army soldiers, with diverse backgrounds, seeking their individual manly pursuits.

From basic training to the battleground of Desert Storm, BtB introduces us to the rigidness of basic training, highlighted through the intense and sometimes "over-the-top" command of Drill Sergeant Wilson (Rae Styles), and the woes of war in the midst of a heated battle in Baghdad.

The military story-line is balanced with the romance between Huey and his long-term girlfriend, Tiffany Peterson (Omolade Wey). Their love survives the distance and casualties of war and creates a balance between "love" and "war".

Humorously, we are introduced to Huey's eccentric family life through the comedic exchange of dialogue between his blind relative, Uncle Lenny (Timothy Bradley) and his single-parent mother, Lynn (Sonja Goodwin). Uncle Lenny's "off-colored" comments and wardrobe keep the audiences in stitches.

Boys to Baghdad attempts to educate us on the controversy of racial prejudices portrayed in the role of Pete (Alex Lee Mauney), the only Caucasian soldier, who used stereotypical phrases that produced heated exchanges with the African American soldiers. Later we learned, after Huey and Pete formed a friendship, that the generational transference of prejudice can be obtained through ignorance without the knowledge of the harm it may cause the sender and the recipient.

I had the opportunity to interview cast members to gain their perspectives of the roles they portray, the impact it had, and the overall Boys to Baghdad experience:

Jonathan Caldwell (Huey Shareef):

Me: Tell me the importance of the role you play.

Jonathan: Huey is a young man trying to make the right choices in life...trying to be better than his friends.

Me: How long have you been with Boys to Baghdad?

Jonathan: I've been with the production since May of 2016 and plan to continue to ride this ship until it docks.

Timothy Bradley (Uncle Lenny):

Me: What does this role, Uncle Lenny, mean to you?

Tim: My character is the uncle of the main character, Huey. I'm a representation of family-origin issues - a blended family that extends beyond the original family model.

Me: Tim, you are a veteran actor! How is this role different from other roles you have portrayed?

Tim: This is actually my first comedic role. I jumped on the chance when the opportunity fell in my lap. Initially, it had it challenges because I don't consider myself a funny person. I'm enjoying it!

Hafiz Stokes (Mark Esposito):

Me: What does this role mean to you?

Hafiz: It means a lot! It shows the diversity of the US Army and the band of brotherhood coming from all walks of life! Me, as a Black Dominican and transitioning into Basic Training to Desert Storm, dealing with the trials and tribulations associated with that. I also established a bond with eight other guys that I didn't know at all...a bond that will never break.

Me: You are now an award-winning actor - what does that mean to you?

Hafiz: It was a great experience when we went to Chicago. We only took the soldiers and did those scenes...and we won first place for Best Play in the 2016 Taste of Theater.

Danius Jones (Dez Laury):

Me: Tell me how this role has impacted your life?

Danius: This role allows me to look inside what actually goes on in the military. To look behind the scenes...beyond the walls that others don't see. To depict what goes on as an enlisted soldier -- the interactions, the brotherhood...the bonds they have built, and we get to display that on stage.

Me: I see the comradery you all have on stage...does that same comradery exist among the cast?

Danius: Yes, it's genuine! From rehearsal schedules that's ongoing...we've eaten together, traveled together, slept in close quarters. It's genuine. Everyone is here because they really want to be here...that helps! And that comradery is transferred on stage.

Omolade Wey (Tiffany Peterson):

Me: What's the significance of this role to you?

Omolade: I portray Tiffany Peterson, girlfriend to the main character, Huey. Tiffany is really supportive to all the life-challenges that he is experiencing, especially in the military! In the beginning you see a teenage love story that is very "cute". Toward the end, you see the PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and the affects it have on Huey after coming back from combat. It's important to have someone at home he can talk to away from the military surroundings, to help him get through all the roughness. Rory (the playwright) talks a lot of the importance of supporting veterans.

Rory Sheriff (Award-winning Playwright/Director/Producer):

Me: Rory, what do you hope to accomplish with Boys to Baghdad?

I want people to support our veterans more...that is our prime boost. There are a lot of veterans suffering with PTSD. When you see a homeless veteran, please support him...give him a few dollars...give him something to eat...it's not a gimmick.

Me: What are your future plans for Boys to Baghdad?

Rory: We are headed to Charleston, SC in March and Off-Broadway in May. For more information please visit our website http://www.BrandNewSheriff.com Brand New Sheriff Productions

*Boys of Baghdad is currently running until January 21, 2017, at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center's Duke Energy Theater, at Spirit Square, 345 N. College Street, Charlotte, NC. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.carolinatix.org Phone number (704) 372-1000

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