ETERNALSOLDIER
ETERNAL WARRIOR
Veterans Theater Workshop
Virtual Performance
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After a COVID-19 induced hiatus, Eternal Soldier returned with a virtual program for Veterans’ Day 2020.
Under the guidance of Director Michael Toner--- accomplished actor and Vietnam combat Veteran---a group of (9) Veterans designed and performed a virtual program of dramatic readings (script in hand). Texts were excerpted from ancient, modern and contemporary drama, poetry, stories and original essays of their choosing. All were centered on the theme of ‘Homecoming from War.’
Narratives were selected by the Veterans themselves to highlight their own experiences of Homecoming. The dramatic readings lasted for approximately an hour and fifteen minutes, followed by a Q and A discussion session, making the total program last two hours.
Click here to view Eternal Warrior on YouTube!
Eternal Warrior: ORDER OF SHOW
JOE MC ELROY: “Dulce et Decorum Est”
[W. Owen, poem]
KEITH OCKIMEY: “In Afghanistan, Homesick”
[B. More-McNew, poem]
ROB GURTCHEFF: The Odyssey, Book 3:
“An Old King Remembers” [Homer, epic poem]
PATRICK DEVINE: “O’FLAHERTY, V.C.”
[G. B Shaw, play]
KEITH OCKIMEY: “When Will I Come Home?”
[J. Cole, poem]
JIM MC GOWAN: “A Prayer For Death and Life”
[J. Strott, poem]
SU LIN HINGLEY: The Odyssey, Book 16:
“Father and Son” [Homer, epic poem]
BARRY BRAIT & MICHAEL TONER: “Translations”
[B. Friel, play]
KEITH OCKIMEY: “Yellow Ribbon” [E. Yates, poem]
JIM MC GOWAN: “Home Without Husband Or Father” [original essay]
JOE MC ELROY: “Plato told him”
[e.e. cummings, poem]
PATRICK DEVINE: “THE SILVER TASSIE”
[S. O’Casey, play]
KEITH OCKIMEY: “Odysseus” [P.M. Doherty, poem]
JOE MC ELROY: All Quite on the Western Front (excerpt)
[E-M. Remarque, novel]
SOPHIE PRIDE: THE ODYSSEY, Book 23:
“The Olive Tree Bed” [Homer, epic poem]
Director Michael Toner on-screen during Eternal Warrior
Screen shot of Eternal Warrior Theater Workshop
In March 2021, two Veterans from Eternal Warrior were interviewed on Facebook Live about their experience. Their conversation with Ridiculopathy Consortium, a Philadelphia theater company, explored their ideas and feelings about the workshop, its Odyssey-inspired Homecoming theme and the selections from Irish Drama they workshopped. Veterans also talked about Eternal Soldier and what the program has meant to them.
It was a terrific and deeply moving interview. To watch the video, point your browser to https://fb.watch/4d0Vj_VHEr/