Creative Writing Sponsors Play Recounting Stories of Military Service

The ACC Department of Creative Writing is co-sponsoring “Telling: Austin, TX” – an original play performed by local veterans and military family members, written from interviews with the performers themselves. It will be presented at the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (600 River St.) April 25-27 and May 2-4. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theater.

Stories include personal accounts from World War II, Vietnam, Iraq, and more. The Telling Project describes the play as “an unvarnished look at the heroism, absurdity, horror, wonder, and banality of military life.”

The chair of ACC’s Creative Writing Department, Charlotte Gullick, served as an interviewer and writer for the play. An ACC student is among the performers.

“The Telling Project allows ACC to deepen its understanding and support of veterans and their families, building on the previous Veterans Day Readings we have hosted,” says Gullick. “This play puts us as close to the source of the experience as we can come, and it is this direct connection which can transform both the audience and the performers.”

A collaboration between the Department of Creative Writing, the City of Austin and Austin Parks and Recreation, and the Austin-based Telling Project, “Telling: Austin, TX” is the 10th production of The Telling Project and the first in Texas.

Admission is free and advance tickets are not necessary. Seating is limited, so attendees are encouraged to arrive early. For more information, visit the Telling Project website.

The Telling Project has performed previously at the U.S. Library of Congress, Maryland Center for the Performing Arts, Portland Center Stage in Oregon, Lisner Auditorium in Washington, DC, and other locations. Supporters include the National Endowment for the Arts, the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institute, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and Metabolic Studios.

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