ARTICLE 4 LETTERS FROM THE FRONT "LETTERS Sends Strong Message to the Troops " |
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"I loved the heartfelt message of freedom and fighting for our country and having support from our community," writes a 31 year old soldier at Fort Eustis. "I was touched beyond belief. I am a better person for having seen your show," writes a 27 year old Marine at MCAS Miramar. "It made me think of how I wasn’t only improving my life but also the lives of others," writes a 18 year old airman at Sheppard AFB. "I thought the play was stunning and outstanding. I say ‘Hurra’ over and over again," writes a 22 year old recruit at Great Lakes NTC. These rave reviews from young troops of all services comes as no surprise to Producer Marsha Roberts. "I’ve long since lost count of how many troops have seen the show. But, I can tell you one thing for sure - they are the best audience a production can ever hope to perform for. Letters From The Front tells a story they can personally relate to," says Roberts. "They cheer, they laugh and at times they sit on the edge of their seats, waiting to see what will happen next." Letters From The Front has been touring military installations since 1991 and so far has made stops at more than 200 bases around the world, many of those have been training bases. "We’ve always loved doing shows to help build morale for the young recruits and the troops in training," continues Roberts, "but of course, since 9/11 we’ve felt our mission stronger then ever." According to Writer/Director Robert Rector, "In the past 14 years we’ve entertained and met tens of thousands of young troops. I know that many of those young people are now in Iraq in harm’s way. It has put a very human face on the war for us. One of the main themes of the show is that we went through the worst of times and not only survived, we grew in purpose and in strength. That’s very powerful for those who are going to have to face this conflict first hand." A common misconception about the show is that it is only about letters. In reality, Letters From The Front is a three act, two hour dramedy. The powerful messages behind actual war correspondence provide the catalyst for the poignant and surprisingly funny story of the home front during World War II. The plot centers around Katharine Hartgrove, a renowned writer of human interest stories (whose son is fighting with the 5th Army in Northern Italy), and popular radio comic Johnny Chastain, the man Katharine loves. "And don’t forget about the comedy!" says Roberts. "If we weren’t entertaining these young people - making them laugh, involving them in the story, we would have never lasted a year, much less 14! Letters From The Front is nothing if not entertaining." Michelle Pinkard’s review for the Shreveport Times says, "If every possible war-related state were tossed into a blender, surely the result would be this Broadway-style production. By interweaving actual letters written from both the war and home fronts, the creators invite the audience to take a tear-jerking, hand-clapping, mind-blowing, two-hour stroll through history." Is the play suitable for children? "There’s nothing obscene or R-rated in Letters From The Front," says Producer Roberts. "Kids younger than middle school are usually not mature enough to understand the play’s themes and consequently can become restless. As a courtesy to the actors and the audience, it is recommended that they not attend." As part of a Defense Commissary Agency worldwide promotion, Letters From The Front, which will play at (name of venue) on (playdates) at (showtimes), is corporately sponsored. Those wishing to sample authentic war letters, check the schedule or learn more about this extraordinary play, can do so on the Internet at www.letters-from-the-front.com. # # # |
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