16 Comments

I wish I had known about this show before today, Dec. 19th. I have 2 sons in the U.S.A.F. and although I'm an advocate of the military, I believe this would help me understand their commitment. Will you be performing anywhere else in the future? I live in Delaware, but would travel to see this show. Thank you. You can reach me @ ccnurse4@yahoo.com Rating - | Dec 19 2010 12:21PM

I just wanted to thank you for giving us the opportunity to see "Re-Entry". I was very impressed with the setting of the theatre and ,certainly, the performance. It was theater at its best. It couldn't be called entertainment ,but it was excellent in presenting a social commentary-which is great theater. Cynthia and I stayed for the discussion afterward which was a wonderful cap to the evening (Skip had to take Andrew home). I was very proud of my "Doctor Daughter" who shared her experience dealing with veterans at the V.A. in California. Thank you for providing us the opportunity . I look forward to seeing more of CenterStage. Bill Smith Rating - | Dec 16 2010 12:05PM

Best theatre production I have ever seen. As the mother of an almost 18-year-old son who is ready to sign his enlistment papers next month, this was an incredible experience for he & I to have together. As I struggle to understand how my theatre-loving son, so involved in his high school productions as an actor/director/lighting tech guy with one-time aspirations to attend NYU film school, who now states catagorically that what he wants more than anything is to be Marine infantry, seeing this show was an overwhelming experience that I am recommending to all my friends/family who are similarly baffled by his choice. It has helped me to stop resisting his decision and start moving toward embracing my coming role as a military mother who will be nothing but supportive. I am still racked daily with unrelenting fear for his future, but my faith in theatre as an important vehicle for chronicling history, remains. Rating - | Dec 13 2010 6:00PM

Chaplain Matthew Prince, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, "As a US Navy Chaplain who has deployed with a Marine infantry battalion to Ramadi, Iraq, this play is a tool that the Navy/Marine Corps could use to help improve the quality of life of our warriors returning from battle as well as their family members. In a world without budget constraints every warrior and family member needs to see this play as part of their post-deployment/reentry process." Rating - | Nov 22 2010 10:04AM

"ReEntry portrayed Marines with respect, love, and humor, without feeling sorry for them, while side-stepping the political dangers of the topic with the grace of a matador." Former leader of the Navy-Marine Corps Combat Operational Stress Control Program (and retired CAPT) William Nash, M.D. Rating - | Nov 22 2010 9:58AM

“Based on hundreds of hours of interviews with returning combat veterans and refreshingly presented without agenda or sub-text, ReEntry is a tour-de-force of loneliness, fear, and anger overlaid with moments of warmth, growth, and inspiration. In other words, ReEntry is like war itself: complex, layered, and visceral. It will resonate as much with those who have lived through the horrors of war as it will with those who have only ever seen war through the often sanitizing distance of reportage that can never truly capture the sights, the sounds, and the smells that remain long after the gunfire has ended.” USMC Colonel and author of the best-selling Thieves of Baghdad, Matthew Bogdanos Rating - | Nov 22 2010 9:57AM

“It was so real, so powerful and moving to the point of leaving me spellbound. After seeing ReEntry I was literally overwhelmed with emotion. Having heard thousands of combat experiences personally, I believe this play conveyed a strong depiction from a warrior's perspective. I can say that this was an incredibly powerful experience.” Bridget Cantrell, Ph. D. Founder of Hearts Toward Home International and author of Down Range to Iraq and Back Rating - | Nov 22 2010 9:54AM

“I was deeply moved to see just how accurately they captured and portrayed what I have been thinking and feeling.” Kevin Naranjo, LCDR, veteran of both Gulf War and Iraqi Freedom Rating - | Nov 22 2010 9:52AM

Since our ReEntry experiences our student veterans have adopted the philosophy that any and all celebrations that we sponsor for veterans day or in celebration of the contributions of student veterans or active duty military personnel will not be done with by sponsoring programs with the focus on pomp and circumstance. The programs we sponsor will offer an opportunity for audience engagement, intentional learning, and that are thought provoking. ReEntry certainly raised the bar. I can’t say enough about this experience and how it has impacted the lives of all members of the RU Newark community. We wish you the very best as you spread the message around the nation albeit the world about the impact of war on the lives of young men and woman, their partners, spouses, children, husbands, wives, family members, all of us. Gerald Massenburg Assistant Chancellor for Student Life Rutgers University - Newark Rating - | Nov 22 2010 9:49AM

"I’ve spent the last 10 months working with transitioning warfighters that are struggling to ‘re-enter’ the real world, so I can say with unconditional conviction, this play is the real deal. If you want to know what our men and women in uniform combat experience when they get back home, this performance is as close to living it as I have ever seen." - Tony Palm BMC (SW/DV) USN (Ret) Strategic Recruiter Rating - | Nov 22 2010 9:45AM

"ReENTRY is an inspring, funny, and authentic depiction of real people dealing with the emotional fallout of war. It pierces the veil of stoicism and reveals the humanity in Marines struggling to overcome bearing witness to human carnage. If you have military service, are a family member or friend of a troop, or simply want to better understand the "why" behind the actions, go see this show. You will be better for your time spent here." -Lynne Van Trieste, mother of a combat wounded Marine Rating - | Nov 22 2010 9:45AM

It was really an experience that we'll remember a long while - such fine work, moving and thought-provoking. Again thanks and very best, Naomi (and Gerry) Rating - | Nov 18 2010 5:36PM

It was a great play with a great cast of actors. My fiancé was also very impressed as a former Marine himself. He could relate very well to the stories and the memories of the soldiers. What a wonderful way to spend a Veterans Day evening. Many thanks to you and Center Stage! Tamarra Rating - | Nov 15 2010 1:12PM

I just wanted to take the time out to thank you for such an intriguing play. It has given me a hightened awareness to our veterans in particular the ones who are often classifed as lazy, crazy, or despicable when we see them holding signs on the corners, walking aimlessly through the streets, or just not behaving like the rest of the family. Centerstage affords Baltimore the opportunity to see the greastest actors in the most unique plays. Rating - | Nov 15 2010 12:42PM

By what metric do you rate any performance; how often or how long did you laugh or cry, or tap your feet to a song? What is meant when a critic opines that an artist’s work is ‘Good’ or ‘Better’ or ‘Best’? Frankly I’ve never given any critical review much weight; far too often my enjoyment of a book or movie has been in direct conflict with some widely known critic. For better or worse, I’m part of the unwashed masses, and tend to enjoy more main-stream fare. I’ll take the next Stallone movie over Shakespeare any day, thank you very much. However, last evening I was treated to a stunning performance of ReEntry at Baltimore’s Center Stage Theater. It evoked in me such a raw emotional reaction, I am unable to rate it with a simple good/better/best. It has taken until now for me to sort out exactly what I experienced. Oh without question, the level of realism conveyed by actors was nothing short of spectacular; I felt their angst, frustration, fear, compassion, and yes even their love for each other. These are great actors! According to the introduction by writer/director K.J. Sanchez, the dialog was taken “. . . almost 97% from transcripts of interviews”, so the dialog was absolutely accurate. But, is realism or accuracy entertainment? I’ve spent the last 10 months working with transitioning warfighters that are struggling to ‘re-enter’ the real world, so I can say with unconditional conviction, this play is the real deal. If you want to know what our men and women in uniform combat experience when they get back home, this performance is as close to living it as I have ever seen. And if you want to ease the re-entry of those same warriors, just ask them how; because clearly just thanking them is not enough! See this show, if it doesn’t entertain you, it will most certainly move you. It did me.  Make it a great Navy day, Tony Palm BMC (SW/DV) USN (Ret) Strategic Recruiter Rating - | Nov 15 2010 9:46AM

Absolutely the best show I've ever seen! Thank you for coming to Quantico to treat us ... I will be seeing this again in Baltimore before you leave town! Thank you for taking such incredibly touching material and making it available in such a non-partisan manner! EXCELLENT! Rating - | Nov 12 2010 4:42PM