Women and War

The stories span several generations of Americans impacted by conflict from The Great War to the War in Afghanistan

From housewife to worker, young bride to nurse, mother to widow, and now, young woman to soldier, these are tales of sacrifice, love, determination and hope told by those who bravely persevere on the home front and on the battlefield

The correspondence between characters places the audience in specific time frames and allows the audience a real sense of the relationships between characters

The characters are portrayed in their isolation, seeking an outlet for the expressions of their love and concern for their loved ones

And monologues are utilized to reveal what is truly going on in the mind of a character regarding the story they have to share

Correspondences and monologues are interwoven to create "through lines" of conflict, dramatic and situational irony

While the individual stories are chronological, the entire play is not - for the purpose of comparison, suspense, and character development, light-heartedness is juxtaposed with the many obvious horrors of war

The element of relief has long been used as a theatrical convention in order to keep audiences entertained, while also addressing the need for a mental and emotional break from the severity of certain storylines

Runs about 60 minutes - Bare Stage/Simple Set

"Deeply touching and educational ... this play is an emotional roller coaster. These accounts are moving ... funny, exciting, humbling, and incredibly sad all at the same time" ~ The Easy

"Awe inspiring. Playwright Cunningham is a magician delivering the internal voices of multiple generations of women who've served as wives, nurses, sweethearts and officers spanning from WWI to Afghanistan. Women and War is essential theater. A moving and poignant scrapbook of the American war experience" ~ United Stages