Bristol Riverside Theatre Co Presents The Eyes of Babylon, Closes 4/3

Bristol Riverside Theatre Company will present The Eyes of Babylon, written and performed by Jeff Key, for the final time on April 3. This one-man show based on Jeff Key's journals from his military experience in Iraq will replace the previously scheduled production of All My Sons by Arthur Miller.

Directed by Yuval Hadadi, previews begin Tuesday, March 15 with opening night on Thursday, March 17. Performances run Tuesday through Sunday until April 3. Tickets start at $31, with discounts for students and groups. Tickets are available by visiting brtstage.org or calling the BRT Box Office at 215-785-0100. Bristol Riverside Theatre is located at 120 Radcliffe Street in Bristol, PA.
"Although casting conflicts compelled us to substitute All My Sons with The Eyes of Babylon, I think this new plays carries the same emotional impact and critique of war," said BRT's Founding Director Susan D. Atkinson, who was to have directed All My Sons. "In the words of a soldier at war, this play is a powerful exploration of one's moral compass during war."

The Eyes of Babylon dramatizes Key's deployment as a former Lance Corporal marine during his two months in Iraq before he was med-evac'd home for surgery. While deployed in Iraq, Key kept his sanity by recording his experiences in a notebook protected in the cargo pocket of his uniform. Although initially an enthusiastic enlistee as a Marine reservist in 2000, he grew increasingly frustrated with revelations about the impetus of the US invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq. He received an honorable discharge under the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy when he admitted being gay. Key has since established The Mehadi Foundation, named for a young Iraqi boy Key met while there, designed to help Iraqi veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as Iraqi civilians. Key was the subject of a 2007 Showtime documentary, Semper Fi: One Marine's Journey.

The Eyes of Babylon premiered at the Tamarind Theatre in Hollywood, California and, after a successful eight-month run, has since been performed in San Francisco, Lexington, Birmington, Salt Lake City, and Dublin.

"The Eyes of Babylon isn't just about the horribleness of war," said Key. "No matter what the politics and the reality of the American intervention in Iraq, I felt that I had come to the country with an intense desire to help its people."

Since 1986, BRT has brought consistently acclaimed professional theatre to Bucks County and maintained a long-term commitment to finding and developing new plays. The theatre is the recipient of over 60 Barrymore Award nominations for Excellence in Theatre, given annually by the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. In addition to its mainstage productions, the theatre serves as a cultural hub for the community, with such programs as children's theatre, community concerts and exhibitions of local visual arts. Currently under the direction of Artistic Director Keith Baker, Founding Director Susan D. Atkinson, and Managing Director, Amy Kaissar, BRT is in its 24th season. For information, visit www.brtstage.org.

 

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