After six years in the army as a medic and infantry soldier and suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Stephan Wolfert hopped off an Amtrak train deep in the mountains of Montana and found himself at a performance of Shakespeare's “Richard III” that would change his life forever — and lead him to the stage himself.
Wolfert performs “Cry Havoc,” a heart-rending one-man show he wrote and has shared with audiences across the nation, at UCLA ‘s Northwest Auditorium on Tuesday, May 3, 6:30 p.m. The performance is presented by the Friends of the Semel Institute as part of its Open Mind Series.
Critics have called “Cry Havoc” a “vital, thought provoking, gut-wrenching and shockingly funny evening of finely crafted theater.” Wolfert discovers his own experience pre- and post-service in the lines of some of Shakespeare’s most famous speeches, all the while exploring the possibility of a new experience. The military recruits citizens and trains them how to kill, Wolfert says, but it doesn’t “un-train” them; what does the “de-cruit” process look like? How can Americans come together to improve the way we reintegrate our veterans back into society?
Wolfert’s riveting 75-minute performance will be followed by an engaging discussion between the actor and audience. Tickets are $10 for Friends of the Semel members, $20 for non-members; purchase tickets here. UCLA students, faculty and veterans may attend for free by RSVPing to Wendy Kelman at [email protected]. For questions call 310-825-8871 or email [email protected].
