Bury the Dead

November 18-21 at 7pm

  The Theatre Arts Program’s fall production, Bury the Dead, written by Irwin Shaw in 1936, is set, as he states in the script, “in the second year of the war that is to begin tomorrow night.” The scene is an unnamed battlefield somewhere in the world that also serves as the gravesite for six dead American soldiers.  About to be interred, the six young soldiers stand up in their shared grave and plead not to be buried.  This crisis is the focus of Shaw’s harrowing and deeply moving and provocative play, directed by Theatre Arts faculty member, Dr. James F. Schlatter,  Can a war ever end if the dead won’t be buried?  The play will be performed by an ensemble company and all member of the Penn community are welcome to audition.  No experience necessary.  Student veterans are especially welcome to audition, as well as students interested in studying the literature and history of war, or its representation in art, theatre, and cinema.  Participation in the production earns academic credit.

Bury the Dead Veterans Special Events

Veterans Panel

Friday, November 20, 2015

Bruce Mongtomery Theatre
Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia

Theatre Arts will be presenting a special performance of Bury The Dead on Thursday, November 19 to be followed by a post-show panel featuring Lt. Col. John A. Nagl, veteran of both wars in Iraq and author of KNIFE FIGHTS : A Memoir of Modern War in Theory and Practice and other books. Other post-show panelists will include project director Dr. James F. Schlatter, and other members of the Penn Veterans community. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and participate in this discussion.

October 29 Rehearsal and Veterans Workshop

This workshop was centered around rehearsals for Theatre Arts Program’s fall production of Bury the Dead, a war play by Irwin Shaw, directed by Dr. James F. Schlatter. On this evening, members of the University of Pennsylvania Student Veterans Association (UPSVA) and Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) attended a rehearsal of the play.  Following a discussion with the cast, Warrior Writers of Philadelphia conducted a writing and art-making workshop with the veterans that focused on some of the issues raised in the production.  In particular, they wrote and created art on the subject of “thoughts of home,” which is central to the action of the play and to veterans’ experience during deployment.  Some of the work created will be displayed in the lobby of the Bruce Montgomery Theater, Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, during the run of the production, November 18-21 at 7:00.