"Trinity's Boots is good enough to hit the road"

from today's Providence Journal Letters to the Editor (April 27, 2006)

Two friends, my husband, and I just saw Boots on the Ground, at Trinity Repertory Company.

I thought it was the best piece of theater that we had seen for a long time -- for several reasons.

First of all, it was real. The "stories" culled from interviews with Rhode Islanders were heartwrenching and sincere.To listen to a spouse talk of going to bed at night as the most difficult part of her day, or to listen to soldiers talk of their fear, was gripping. To have them name themselves as people we know made this experience much more than merely viewing a play.

Secondly, the writing of the play was brilliant; it flowed smoothly from one story to another. Of course, the smoothness was also due to the excellent staging. Its sparseness, tonal use of color, and illusion of limitless depth all added to the effect of the words. The acting was superb -- as always. The stellar cast moved from one persona to another so easily and with such precision, changing from one wrenching emotion to another effortlessly.

Finally, and most important, Trinity's dealing with the subject of the war in Iraq was courageous. This is a topic that needs to be discussed, reacted to, and, perhaps, acted upon. The "Act 2" discussion was very poignant, particularly with the parents of soldiers in Iraq speaking at the session we attended. Perhaps Trinity should consider taking this show on the road into the wider Rhode Island community or beyond.

Thank you and kudos to the entire Trinity company.

ANGELA RYDING Warwick

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Boots on the Ground - the beginning
You spoke and we listened. Last year, a slot was reserved in this season for a new play created to focus head-on with an issue facing Rhode Island: putting our neighbors’ points of view on stage and inspiring dialogue. After informal polling of Rhode Islanders to find out what was on their minds (the topics ranged from healthcare to education, the environment, the Station fire to the Cornell Young case), they found that the war in Iraq came to the forefront of everyone's conversations.

Nearly 70 soldiers and their families, medical workers, journalists, ministers, and teachers were then interviewed. All of those we spoke to shared stories of courage, sacrifice, and dedication - in Iraq and here at home. Boots on the Ground is the 90-minute play built from their words, recorded in nearly 200 hours of interviews.

Boots on the Ground  - the play
Compassion, humor and hope are at the core of their stories, which cross political, religious, and socio-economic lines to present all sides. True stories. Rhode Island voices. If you think the war in Iraq doesn’t affect the Ocean State, listen to your neighbors. If you or a loved one have been touched by the war in Iraq and feel that your side of the story has not been told yet , please feel free to post here at the Boots on the Ground Message Board>>