New Ohio Theatre, New York City
March 15 – April 23, 2017
CRY HAVOC!
THE STORY.
A soldier comes home from war. But the war comes home with him.
After six years in the United States Army, Stephan Wolfert finds himself struggling to return to civilian life. Haunted by violence, isolation, and the psychological wounds of combat, he discovers an unexpected lifeline in Shakespeare—particularly the soldiers, kings, and warriors whose words give voice to experiences he has been unable to explain.
In Cry Havoc!, Wolfert draws on his own military service and Shakespeare's greatest war plays to explore what happens to soldiers after the fighting ends. Moving between personal testimony, Shakespearean characters, and the realities of post-traumatic stress, one actor becomes an entire battlefield of conflicting emotions: rage, grief, guilt, terror, and the desperate need to reconnect with the world.
Directed by Eric Tucker, the production strips away theatrical spectacle to confront the human cost of war and the profound distance between those who have experienced combat and those who have not.
What does it mean to send someone to war, and what responsibility do we bear when they come home?
THE WORD.
“Shakespeare is surprisingly spot-on in his
presentation of the veteran experience.”
THEATERMANIA
“It chews you up and spits you out”
HOUSTON PRESS
“A memoir on speed: moving, sad, funny”
HOUSTONIA MAGAZINE
2016 Berkshire Theatre Awards — Three Wins:
Outstanding Production of a Play (Intimate Theatre)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor (Stephan Wolfert)
Outstanding Direction of a Play (Eric Tucker)
PEOPLE.
Written and performed by Stephan Wolfert
Directed by Eric Tucker
Developed in conjunction with Bedlam's Veteran Outreach program.