Photos: First Look at WAR WORLDS at A.R.T./New York

New docu-play by Michelle Kholos Brooks, War Words makes its world premiere production directed by NewYorkRep Artistic Director Sarah Norris, now playing Off-Broadway at A.R.T./New York (502 W. 53rd Street) through Dec. 17. Opening night is November 14 at 7PM.

Check out all new photos below!

For the company of War Words, NewYorkRep has assembled a company of actors comprised of United States military veterans as well as veteran New York stage and television actors: David Alan Basche (SnakeBit), Maggie Bofill (The Last Days of Judas Iscariot), United States Army Veteran Donald Calliste (4 years of service), John Concado (Romeo y Julieta at The Public), Operation Iraqi Freedom War Veteran Jennean Farmer (Ain't No Mo' at The Public), Bethany Geraghty (Strange Country), Brandon Jones (According to the Chorus), Kevin Loreque (How the Grinch Stole Christmas tour), Matthew Nikitow (“Law & Order Special Victims Unit”), Haythem Noor (“Homeland”), Alysia Reiner (“Orange is the New Black”), Joshua David Robinson (The Minutes on Broadway) John Siciliano (“ER”), and Jakob Von Eichel (Fringe of Humanity).

War Words is a docu-play in the words of the men and women who served in the U.S. Military during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Based on the playwright’s interviews with veterans of the 20-year Long War and their families, War Words is composed of heroic and heartbreaking stories of the veterans, families, and allies of people who served: those who came home, and those who were left behind. The playwright and NewYorkRep have felt that there was always a need for civilians to better understand the motivation and sacrifice one makes to serve.

"We strive for authenticity which is why our cast includes veteran actors who served in the US Military along with those you will recognize from the stage and television," noted Gayle Waxenberg, NewYorkRep Founder,"  "War Words touched so many actors. We had 1300 submit for just one role. Our cast feels honored to give voice to these veterans. Michelle Kholos Brooks and NewYorkRep have felt that there was always a need for civilians to better understand the motivation and sacrifice one makes to serve. Presenting War Words around Veteran’s Day feels like a civic responsibility."

“War Words is based on interviews that I conducted with veterans of the Long War in Iraq and in Afghanistan,” says playwright Michelle Kholos Brooks.” These are the stories of real veterans, in their own words. War Words aims to bridge the divide between those who serve in the military and the rest of us who say ‘thank you for your service,’ without really understanding what the service and sacrifices truly are. I hope that audiences will be as surprised, delighted and moved by these stories as I was.”

The scenic design for War Words is by Brian Dudkiewicz; costume design by Julia Squier; lighting design by Elaine Wong; sound design by Janet Bentley and Andy Evan Cohen; choreography by Sarah Grace Houston; percussion orchestration by Mariana Ramirez; percussion and additional orchestrations by Andrew Beal. Kleo Mitrokostas is Production Manager. Madeleine Blossom is Production Stage Manager. The Casting Director is Gama Valle, Bass/Valle Casting.

NewYorkRep presents this world premiere production following 2021 one-night-only readings featuring US. Military veterans at The Intrepid in New York, The Actors’ Gang Theater in Los Angeles, and presentations in Forth Worth, Miami, Philadelphia and Syracuse.

Retired US Army General David H. Petraeus experienced an early workshop presentation of War Words offering the following endorsement: “Few Americans enjoy close, personal relationships with service men and women and their families, and that fact risks veterans remaining at arms-length. This gap is no one's fault or dereliction. It exists as a natural consequence of the fact that proportionally fewer and fewer Americans serve in the military, and those who do are mostly concentrated in small geographies across the country. … That's where the play, War Words, comes to bear. It is an inspiring and entertaining work that gets right after this ‘affinity gap and serves the civic purpose for Veterans Day. … I do not want to glorify war…just service. Because as one of the final lines in this exceptional production notes, ‘War will break your heart.’ …Few movies or plays have ever captured all of this for me as War Words.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Verner

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