Studio Theatre Presents AMERICAN SOLDIERS, 11/14-23

The Studio Theatre presents American Soldiers by Matt Morillo, a story about Angela, an army veteran who returns to her home in Long Island after her deployment in the Middle East. American Soldiers runs Thursday, November 14 through Saturday, November 23, 2013. Tickets are $10 - $12. Veterans are offered discounted tickets for $5 with a military I.D. Tickets are available by calling the Studio Theatre Box Office at (313) 577-2972, online at www.wsustudio.com, or by visiting the box office in the Hilberry Theatre located at 4743 Cass Avenue on the corner of Hancock.

Morillo's drama sheds light on the difficulty of soldiers returning to their civilian lives, while illustrating the power of family. Angela, traumatized from her combat experience, attempts to free her political family from the engrained, hometown influences that had led her to enlist. Her father, a Vietnam veteran, is committed to keeping his family together and at peace.

Matt Morillo, a Long Island-born playwright, filmmaker, and humorist, has made a splash in the world of independent theater and film. After graduating film school, he made his debut with his feature, The Pretenders, an award-winning romantic comedy. His subsequent short films, most notably Maid of Honor, also attracted numerous awards. American Soldiers is Morillo's first family drama, where he completely forsakes the comedic form, since his days as a filmmaker. Playwright Morillo will be at Wayne State during the run of the show, and will participate in an audience talk-back following select performances. Additional details are forthcoming.

Director Katherine Skoretz explains, "The story of the returning soldier is as old as Odysseus and as contemporary as YouTube. A simple Google search for 'soldiers coming home' turns up viral videos of returning veterans surprising their spouses and children. But these videos compress homecoming into seconds of joyful reunion, ignoring the complex reintegration that must take place in the face of war. American Soldiers explores the difficult questions of reintegration: who is reintegration really for? What is its purpose? And if it means that we all have to change, can we?"

The cast includes (in alphabetical order): Garett Harris (Royal Oak, MI) as Hutch, Kaylen Ivory (Detroit, MI) as Carlos Sr., Kadijah R. Perkins (Detroit, MI) as Marie, Allen Wiseman (Roseville, MI) as Junior, and Samantha Lee York (Dearborn, MI) as Angela.

Katherine Skoretz (Director), Patrick Lienemann (Stage Manager), Tyler Ezell (Lighting and Sound Designer), Beth Ottosen (Scenic Designer), Marky Sharrow (Costume Designer), and Jordan Donahue (Publicist).

The Studio Theatre is an intimate, 110-seat, open-stage theatre in the lower level of the Hilberry Theatre on Wayne State University's campus that is often used for experimental, student, and classroom productions. Annual programming includes the PhD Directors' Series, the Student Stage, and the Louise Heck-Rabi Dramatic Writing Competition. For nearly fifty years the Studio Theatre has presented great theatre featuring WSU undergraduate students. With generous support from patrons and donors, the Studio Theatre recently underwent renovation. For box office hours and information on performances, tickets, and group discounts, please call the box office at (313) 577-2972 or visit the theatre's website at www.wsustudio.com

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