Fresh on the heels of their West Michigan debut of the rowdy and colorful ‘80s dark musical comedy Heathers, Actors’ Theatre of Grand Rapids presents Dogfight, a stage adaptation of another popular indie film.
This time, instead of a cast of high schools girls unleashing holy terror on their classmates, Dogfight tells the reflective and poignant story of a group of rowdy Marines about to depart overseas to Vietnam. It is the story of a heartless (and thought to be harmless) prank that goes too far and how the symbolic road back to redemption must take a turn for love.
In the middle of this historical storm taking place on the night before President John F. Kennedy’s assassination is the most unlikely of budding romances, as Private First Class Birdlace and Rose Fenny find themselves caught up trying to process the events of their time and the loss of innocence that is about to happen.
Under the skilled hands of Actors’ director Fred Sebulske, this musical work weaves through the series of events during which this innocence embodied in these richly-defined characters is shattered much like that of the nation in the years ahead as the war goes on and on.
And while we know how the war plays out in our own lives, it is how the war is framed within these characters that will stick with you long after the curtain has fallen on this moving production.
No worries if you have not seen the film, as this moving story is lovingly brought to a new life via the heartfelt music and lyrics by University of Michigan Musical Theatre graduates Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
“Tonight our marines are naïve to what lies ahead; they believe they are going to Vietnam as advisors to help the Vietnamese with 13 weeks of training as a guarantee of their invincibility. What could be wrong with having a little fun at others expense? Who could that hurt?” says Sebulske. “This young writing team have accomplished a great deal in Dogfight, not the least of which is reminding all of us of the sorrows and joys that life holds for each of us.”
Dogfight is debuting on the Grand Rapids stage for the very first time, and once again, furthers Actors’ visionary commitment to bring the very best of new theatrical works to our local audience.
Admission: $28.
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