This afternoon I got to see a program I've heard about, and have wanted to see for a while.
This is a one-performer play, written and acted my an acquaintance/friend of mine, Rick Plummer.
The play opens with Ernie in his field camp, just before some enemy fire comes in and he dives for cover.
Ernie Pyle is, of course, the Pulitzer-prize winning journalist who is mostly remembered for his down-to-earth and homey reports from the fronts of World War II.
Rick is a Viet Nam veteran and a great local supporter of veterans' events and aid. He's also a professional actor, director, etc. Pretty much everything theater! That said, he's recently transitioned to be the Director of the local Historical Society. It seems to be a good fit, but you can't get drama out of the blood of someone like that.
The play is based on Pyle's writings and other information about his life. Although he has not performed it recently, Plummer toured with this play from 2001-2010 with over 200 performances in a dozen states, but has been on hiatus for the past three years. He says it feels good to bring Ernie back.
He'll be performing again tomorrow evening (Monday, April 4, 2016) at the USS Silversides (submarine) in Muskegon. And hopefully, more places in the future.
This is a performance that will resonate strongly with any combat veterans, and it will deepen the understanding of those times in history for the rest of us. Don't miss it if you ever have the chance.
Pyle was killed in 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa, and that is where the play ends.
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1 comment:
That would be very interesting. The man became legend.
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