Outside the Wire comes to 2013 Capital Fringe Festival July 11-28th!
Sergeant Mark Mercer comes home from the war in Iraq only to realize that life will never be the same. Through live theater and video, experience what soldiers and their families live through during and after war.
Jimi Stanton and Daniel Marcum began writing Outside the Wire in 2010 in hopes of paying tribute to Jimi’s brother, Army Staff Sergeant David Stanton. After serving two tours (one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan) David finally came home. However, after months of being home, it was evident that David and his family were struggling to return things back to ‘normal.’ With the realization that things would never be “normal” again, Jimi knew that this story needed to be told. After two years, two cities, and countless amounts of praise and recognition from veterans and their families, Jimi and Daniel understood that this tribute wasn’t meant for one soldier, but all soldiers. By telling this story, Outside the Wire continues its mission to encourage other soldiers and families who have sacrificed so much to this country to stand up and tell their own story.
From Playwright Jimi Stanton: Outside the Wire was written with no other reason than to simply say thank you to soldiers. Specifically my brother, Army Staff Sergeant David Stanton. David returned home from Afghanistan in 2009. It was his second deployment. He spent that last six years with the 506th Infantry in the 101st Airborne. The joy, pride and relief we felt when he returned is indescribable. Everything felt like it was finally back to normal. However we slowly began to see that nothing would ever be “normal” again. Not for him. Not for us. Eventually, the tension broke in our family. After the dust had settled and the yelling had stopped, I realized that this story needed to be told. The only way that both sides would listen to each other and appreciate what the other had to say was for them to sit down and watch it. So Daniel Marcum and I began
Outside the Wire in hopes of telling the story of what it’s like for both soldiers and families during and after war: the hardships of dealing with loss, the time spent away from each other, the missed memories, the boredom, the friendship, the fear and the love. We wanted to say thank you. To let soldiers and families know that we will never understand what you went through, but we appreciate all that you have done. The issues in Outside the Wire are not only relevant, but they are unresolved. Families and soldiers are dealing with deployments and life after war right this second. And with so much sacrifice, the very least we can do is sit down and listen to their story.”
Performances: July 11th at 9 pm, July 13th at 4:30 pm, July 17th at 6:15 pm, and July 20th at 1 pm at Fort Fringe – Redrum – 612 L Street NW, in Washington, DC near the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro Stop (on the Red, Yellow, and Green Lines and the Mount Vernon Square/Convention Center Metro Stop on the Yellow and Green Lines.
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE or call (866) 811-4111.
ABOUT CAPITAL FRINGE: Capital Fringe is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 2005 with the purpose of connecting exploratory artists with adventurous audiences by creating outlets and spaces for creative, cutting-edge, and contemporary performance in the District. Capital Fringe’s vital programs ensure the growth and continued health of the local and regional performing arts community by helping artists become independent producers while stimulating the vibrant cultural landscape in our city. Official Hashtags: #outsidetwire #capfringe13 #CapFringeSoldOut
I saw the play this afternoon. The cast did a great job of portraying the anger and betrayal that many current veterans feel when they return home. They also showed the difficulties that spouses, friends, and loved ones face when trying to help their veteran. I’m a disabled Vietnam veteran and I went through my own period of anger in the early 1970s. I know many current veterans who are in the same boat. All any veteran wants is to tell his story and have people listen WITHOUT making any judgements. That is a very important part of the healing process, but often a very hard concept for the veterans supporters to understand.
Congratulations on a great effort by all involved and best of luck for the rest of the Fringe shows.