Spend 9/11 with a Gay Marine

We'll be returning you to your regularly scheduled blog in just a day or so. Wrapping up the Fringe, shamelessly plugging scrappy theater offerings of various stripes throughout the year, noodling over random subjects arts-related and otherwise...

But, the reason I ended up doing this kind of thing in the first place is because I'm a playwright. And that lovely rarity, a production of a new script, has happened, and appears to be going quite well at the moment. It's been devouring what might otherwise be blogging time. Our out of town premiere performances went ridiculously well. And now we're bringing our act to the Twin Cities...

This is a story and a pair of characters that have been dogging me for almost ten years. Sadly, the "don't ask, don't tell" policy which prompted the original script is still with us. And the post-9/11 world required the story be rewritten to a new reality.

And so...

Two Performances, Two Standing Ovations

The production that brought audiences in Morris to their feet two nights in a row is now at the Bryant Lake Bowl for two performances

Thursday, September 11 at 7 PM
Thursday, September 25 at 7 PM

afterdark theater company presents

"Leave"

"Don't ask, don't tell... don't love?"

The strains placed on a couple separated by war are further compounded by the need to remain in the closet. Coded messages and secret identities are at the epicenter of the
struggle between love of country and love of a lifetime.

by Matthew A. Everett
(three-time recipient of support from the Minnesota State Arts Board)

Directed by Justin S. Latt

Cast:
Siobhan Bremer
Alex Carlson
Nick James Parker
Tim Schmidt
Bennett Smith

For tickets call 612.825.8949 or online at www.bryantlakebowl.com

And online at www.brownpapertickets.com

Tickets $12 - $15, pay what you can / $10 with Fringe button

Mature content - adult language, brief nudity

Gaye at FringeFamous says, "I can't tell you how excited I am to see this show. But I'll try. I'm about as excited as a gay hooker during the Republican National Convention!" (no, I didn't make that up - check the link...)

From Morris to Minneapolis, come see what people are buzzing about.

For more info - including video promo, cast bios and more - see www.afterdarktc.com

Synopsis...

Seth (Nick James Parker) is a young Marine serving during wartime. Nicholas (Tim Schmidt) is his civilian husband who waits back home. In addition to the strain on their relationship caused by distance and absence, they must hide their love for one another behind code words and secret identities because of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy barring gays and lesbians from serving openly in the United States military.

Seth's mother Anne (Siobhan Bremer) assists them by providing the cover of a woman's handwriting for Nicholas' daily letters, but Nicholas and Seth's resolve is starting to weaken.

Jonas (Alex Carlson), another young gay Marine in Seth's unit just coming to terms with his identity, forms an intense bond with Seth overseas.

Tyson (Bennett Smith), a former Army soldier who got fed up with "don't ask, don't tell" and didn't reenlist, now works alongside Nicholas, providing temptation as well as a reality check.

When Seth returns home for an unexpected leave, with Jonas at his side, and post-traumatic stress following him from the battlefield, old relationships are tested, and new ones bloom. In the end, the realities of war call on one man to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Sample scenes, monologues, and other details online at www.matthewaeverett.com