Review: OCCUPIED TERRITORIES at 59E59 Theaters is Important and Gripping Drama

The NYC premiere of Occupied Territories, written by Nancy Bannon and Mollye Maxner, and directed by Mollye Maxner is now being performed at 59e59 Theaters through Sunday November 5. The show features inventive staging, riveting dialogue, and an outstanding cast. This stunning production about the lasting effect that combat has on soldiers and their families should be seen. It is timely and important. Occupied Territories won the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Choreography and was nominated for Outstanding New Play and Direction.

After their father's funeral, Jude and her sister Helena sift through some mementos in the basement of their family home. While Helena is composed and responsible, Jude has problems with addiction, difficulties parenting her young daughter Alex, and a real contempt for her dad who suffered from PTSD. Yet, as Jude looks at his photographs and keepsakes from the Vietnam War, she gains a different perspective about his life. The show combines the setting of a suburban home with gripping and sometimes shocking scenes of seven men on a combat patrol in the jungles of Vietnam.

The cast features Nancy Bannon as Jude; Kelley Rae O'Donnell as Helena; and Ciela Elliott as Alex. The soldiers include Diego Aguirre as Lucky; Donte Bonner as Ace; Nile Harris as Hawk; Thony Mena as Alvarez; Cody Robinson as Collins; Scott Thomas as Ski; and Nate Yaffe as Hardcore. The company's portrayal of the characters is mesmerizing. Bannon, O'Donnell, and Elliott capture the mood of a family struggling to cope with grief, past problems, and the future. The actors who portray the soldiers master their individual roles and provide an intimate view of the anguish, terror, and bravery that exists in war.

The design team has done a great job of bringing Occupied Territories to life with production design by Brian MacDevitt; set design by Andrew R. Cohen; lighting design by Rob Siler; sound design and original music by Mathew M. Nielsen; costume design by Kelsey Hunt; and choreography by Kelly Maxner. The Production Stage Manager is Kaelyn Kreicbergs.

Occupied Territories is a production that deserves all the praise we can give it. Take the emotional journey. It not only is an insightful view of the ravages of war and the difficulties that veterans and their families can encounter, but it is an extraordinary production. See it while it is on the 59e59 stage. It is a show that will go far.

Occupied Territories is produced by Theater Alliance of Washington, DC and Available Potential Enterprises, LTD. The production runs for 90 minutes with no intermission. There is a post-show discussion immediately following each performance. 59E59 Theaters is located at 59 East 59th Street (between Park and Madison Avenues). Single tickets are $35 ($24.50 for 59E59 Members). $20 discounted tickets are available to Veterans, Retired, and Active Military. To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at 212.279.4200 or visit http://www.59e59.org/.

Photo Credit: Colin Hovde

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