Proscenium Players, Inc. end season with WAR DRAMA

"Journey's End," written by R.C. Sherriff, and first produced in 1928, has been called the greatest of all war plays.

Proscenium Players, Inc. has chosen it as their season finale for the 2008-09 season.

"It's historically accurate " a play about the truth of war," said producer Lisa Bommarito. "It gives you a zoomed-in view of world fear and precariousness, friendship, guilt and the abandoned world the soldiers were living in.

"It demonstrates the essence of humanity artfully presented and is not judgmental. It's not a political piece " it's a human piece."

Bommarito said the author, didn't intend to explore the right and wrong of war nor make a judgment call.

"The characters are very simple," she said. "It's about those who fought the war because it was the right thing to do. It takes place in the dugout, where the soldiers eat and sleep. It's set in 1918 in the trenches of France, toward the end of World War I.

"It's about the hardship these soldiers went through not knowing when the war would end. Even boredom was intensified by the cramped conditions, with dirt, bugs, rats and Germans 60 yards away " but it allowed a closeness among these men. Their duty, loyalty and ability emerges but reminds the audience of the horrible futility of their lives."

Directing the play is Tony DeGeiso.

"He's done a lot of stuff for us," Bommarito said. "He's out of Reno and he's worked with the Brewery Arts Center's Summerstock, and he's amazing."

Bommarito said it is a drama, but it has humor in it.

"There are very laughable moments," she said.

The show runs at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, April 10-25, with a complimentary champagne reception after the opening show, only. Admission is $15 general, $12 for seniors, students, BAC and Proscenium members.

For advance tickets, call Eloise Koenig at 883-6442 or 883-1976.

WHO: Proscenium Players, Inc.

WHAT: "Journey's End"

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, April 10-25

WHERE: Brewery Arts Center Don Reynolds Theater, 449 W. King St.

TICKETS: $15 general; $12 seniors, students, BAC and PPI members

CALL: Eloise Koenig, 883-6442 or 883-1976

Cast list for "Journey's End"

Jeff Whitt - Captain Hardy and The Colonel (2 roles)

Des Craig - Lieutenant Osborne

Ethan Gray - Captain Stanhope

Caleb Kondor - 2nd Lieutenant Raleigh

Shane Murphy - 2nd Lieutenant Trotter

Austin Scott - 2nd Lieutenant Hibbert

Dave Josten - Private Mason

Tai Burns - A German Soldier

Nathan Crow - Lance Corporal Broughton

Shane Goodman - Sergeant Major