Historical November–December 2007 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Dear Peace-maker and Supporter-of-the-arts, Veil of Silence, by Andrew Michael Neiman and Suzanne Renard, is a new play whose arrival on the St. Louis stage November 2nd may break the usual rules of political etiquette. It’s impolite, it seems, to take on a war while it still rages. Our national discourse appears confined somewhere between the bland proclamations on car magnets and the smug sarcasm on late night TV. Language is used or mis-used to keep the war “over there.” But war always comes home.
The most courageous and credible voices speaking out about the current phase of the “Global War on Terror” are those of returning veterans.
The writers of Veil of Silence are not veterans.
We have, however, listened deeply to the stories, memoirs and poetry of soldiers who have experienced war most profoundly.
The pictures that linger are very different from the official story promulgated by those in command and the industries which are the sole beneficiaries of war.
In this play, the protagonist brings the horrors that haunt him–the destruction of a civilization at the expense of our collective soul–into plain view. Veil of Silence is a project of the St. Louis chapter of Veterans For Peace, which is accepting donations to cover production expenses.
While we have kept our budget as frugal as possible, creative efforts like this one are costly. Our hope is to enlist people interested in supporting a piece of live theater which offers a window into the devastating costs of war, and which calls for an honest examination of our complicity, the first step on a long path to redemption. Veterans For Peace is a 501c3 organization.
All contributions to this project are tax-deductible.
A letter will be sent for each donation. Any surplus after expenses are met will go to fund the Iraq Water Project– www.iraqwaterproject.org If you would like to be a co-producer of this production, described by early readers of the play as “thought-provoking and powerful,” “right on the mark,” “painful and beautiful,” please contact us.
We would be happy to answer your questions about the budget, VFP, the break-down of contribution levels and benefits, or the play itself.
If you know of others who would find this project compelling, please spread the word and let us know how we might contact them. Checks can be made out to Veterans For Peace, with “Veil project” in the memo, and sent to: Chuc Smith, Veterans For Peace, 1524 Eastmont Place, St. Louis, MO, 63130. PERFORMANCES will be at The Black Cat Theatre, 2810 Sutton, 63143–on November 2 through 4th and Nov. 9 through 11, (8pm, Fridays and Saturdays and 2pm, Sundays.) Sincerest thanks, Suzanne Renard (314) 315-5129 • suzannerenard@gmail.com
Original photograph caption
Original Veil of Silence theatrical poster. Designer not credited.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, November–December 2007.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2007_11.pdf, printed page(s) 2; PDF page(s) 2.
