I picked up this short play because it is about a Puertorican family whose generations have served in the military at the Korean, Vietnam and the Iraqui war. Charley was only 15 when enlisted and had no idea what he was getting himself into. "You see all the shit you can't erase. It sets up the next play, Water by the Spoonful, in an eloquent, meaningful way. Yet the production manages some glorious moments in spite of itself. Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue teaches you that you don't . Read 38 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. "Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue is that rare and rewarding thing: a theater work that succeeds on every level while creating something new." - New York Times "A lush and evocative tone poem about the way the landscape of the soul is transformed by war" - Atlanta Journal Constitution Back home in Philadelphia, Elliot Ortiz, a nineteen-year-old Marine, contemplates his return to Iraq for . Elliot, A Soldiers Fugue, the 2006 drama that began the series, opened Saturday at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Specifically, the assertion of this desire for control is evident as she recalls that her father was a mean bastard but became a saint if you put a flower in his hand (Hudes 15). Absolutely beautiful. wi ll premiere at Chicago's Goodman Theatre in April 2013. This is an outstandingly emotive memory play that makes me really really wish pandemic wasn't a thing. The theme drawn out in content and form is the impact of war on soldiers and the impact of returning soldiers on communities. She also tells how black women were treated more like objects than human beings. The second part of a trilogy, this drama depicts the everyday struggles of several people. 5B New York, NY 10025 (267) 259-7304 [email protected] Agent: Bruce Ostler Bret Adams, Ltd. 448 West 44 th Street New York, NY 10036 (212) 765-5630 Elliot (A Soldier's Fugue) opened at the Culture Project in New York on . Regional premiere. Major Charles Whittlesey, a New York lawyer, who ends up in the trenches of France having under his command mostly young, unexperienced men. "Elliot: A Soldier's Fugue," the first in a trilogy by Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Quiara Alegria Hudes, examines this and more as it balances three generations of a Puerto . The perf works because its obvious artifice no one really moves their hand just so reflects some deeper truth about Ginnys character. Moore, the author, is a successful scholar, decorated veteran, and a political and business leader, while the other, who will be differentiated as Wes, ended up serving a life sentence for murder. 3.5 - enjoyed - it's confusing at first because of the way it's written, back and forth between characters playing other characters etc. The garden was where her mother could make truly make art. The garden was also a representation of the creativity of the women who hold a talent close to their heart. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. Words and fragments are separated on different lines: Stay / Calm / Put / Tourniquet / Lay / Back / Drink / Cup / Water (25-26). Peter Mendoza, left, Ruben Garfias and Jason Manuel Olazabal. Elliot, a Soldier's Fugue, the first in the Elliot trilogy, premiered in 2006 and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2007. Certainly they did not fit in with the crumbling decay of the rest of her yard(Collier 23). Post was not sent - check your . Through this comparison, Hudes conveys Ginnys deep desire for a sense of control and success in her life. Its told as if by a chorus, making it poetic. Photo by Craig Schwartz. Many people who put their lives in danger, so I can have things such as, freedom of speech, right to bear arms, freedom of religion, and many more, did not return home. More info and tickets at . Wes had been living his whole life in the streets of Baltimore, grew up fatherless and was left with a brother named Tony who was involved in drugs, crime, and other illegal activity. W There are some wonderful lines (A seed is a contract with the future, Ginny says of her garden). "Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue" runs thru Mar 1. They include a Pulitzer-winning drama, Water By the Spoonful, and a Tony-winning Broadway musical, In the Heights (co-authored with Lin-Manuel Miranda). To Ginny, planting a seed guarantees that she will soon be able to visually see the fruits of her labor, and will be able to relish in the joy of creating new life. The acrid stench of gunpowder burned my nostrils along with the smell of blood. Meanwhile, Riescos turn as Elliot succeeds for the opposite reason. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Not only this, but the narratorsGrandpop, Ginny, and Popare the people who harm Elliot. Performances run from March 2nd through March 6th in Haislip Theatre located in the Center for Performing Arts building on the campus of UA Little Rock. I would like to honor the people who put and are putting their lives at risk for me by laying a wreath at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Our process was to read sections of it aloud, with assigned parts, at our meeting. I get what Hudes was trying to do with the stark, bleak stage, but that type of thing is just not for me. This fed my expressionistic, abstract brain like no other, but also, it taught me so much. On the (front cover of the book) Carolyn See from the Washington Post says Everyone in the world should read this bookWe should read It to learn about the world and about what it means to be human. Shes right, reading this book will provide you with facts you never known and could change the way you see things today. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Did not enjoy at all. You will not be able to put it down. A soldiers heart is a past term used to describe someone with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), specifically given to someone who fought in the Civil War. He had been stationed in many places and remembered each and every one of them. For a . Great. In the many tellings of the story it can be gathered that Lemon died by stepping on a boobytrap, while he was playing, After 7 long years that i have been a soldier in war I can finally come home. That nuance keeps Elliot from sinking. This is more of an overture than a play. Quiara Alegra Hudes is a writer, barrio feminist, and native of West Philly, U.S.A. Pop says, The boy was standing guard; Grandpop says, He saw an incoming car; then Ginny says, The headlights approached (24). Olazbals Pop communicates through his detachment a sense of betrayal. This play is absolutely stunning. It wasnt, The Lost Battalion is based totally on a real story of an American battalion that was sent out to battle during the World War I. The plot, such as it is, centers on Elliot's decision whether to go back to Iraq for a second tour or not. Walker uses her mothers garden to express freedom, not only for her but for all the black women who had been wronged. A Soldier's Fugue Summary. Get our L.A. Surely, the tale of three generations of Hispanic American men fighting in three different U.S. wars could shed light on a particular experience for a particular family and the men themselves. Even fiction books can get out-dated sometimes Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue Prior to now, Ive never ever experienced a passion about examining textbooks Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue The sole time which i at any time browse a e-book protect to deal with was again in class when you truly experienced no other decision Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue . I go to the orchestra, and reading this felt how I feel going to the orchestra. 1 ELLIOT, A SOLDIER'S FUGUE by Quiara Alegra Hudes Culture Project draft, January 31, 2006 2006, Quiara Alegra Hudes Quiara Alegra Hudes 55 West 92 nd Street, Apt. While Elliot gets the bulk of the character development, his mother, father, and grandfather are fleshed out to an extent. Theatreworks' production of "Elliot: A Soldier's Fugue," directed by Julio Agustn and written by Quiara Alegra Hudes, takes a deep look at the intergenerational impact of war, but there were moments when audience members could get lost in the structure of the story. In 4/Prelude, she recalls her purpose for bringing the garden to life, and the memories it brings back when she spends time there. Theatreworks presented a virtual reading of "Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue" in early 2021. "Elliot: A Soldier's Fugue," the first in a trilogy by Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Quiara Alegria Hudes, examines this and more as it balances three generations of a Puerto Rican family's struggle with just that legacy. In this soliloquy, Ginny recalls that in her early stages of constructing the garden she said, when Im done with this, its going, In a simile, she compares gardening to boxing The wins versus the losses (Hudes 16). I didn't love this quite as much as Water by the Spoonful, but it was still incredible and now I really really want to see the play. Our process was to read sections of it aloud, with assigned parts, at our meeting. This creates a faster tempo and more frantic rhythm, showing Elliots hysteria. How would you like to watch people eat your favorite food but not able to eat it yourself? Ginny addresses us directly from her concrete garden, explaining that shell plant anything she wants because a seed is a contract with the future that says life will go on. This quote is also using juxtaposition to show that the marigolds and the house do not go together and they contrast. Elliot (Armando Riesco), a soldier in the current war in Iraq, speaks to no one in particular about missing his mothers cooking, while his father (Triney Sandoval) sits next to him in military fatigues. But in Elliot, A Soldiers Fugue, by celebrated playwright Quiara Alegra Hudes, too few particulars come to light and too many generalities drain energy from the one-act drama. Elliot, a Soldier's Fugue. Quiara Alegria Hudes gives herself that challenge with Elliot: A Soldiers Fugue, a play that models its plot on the musical structure in which different voices sing similar themes. In capturing Elliots youthful innocence and vigor, Mendoza raises the emotional stakes for the audience as the young Marine descends into hell. Performances run from March 2nd through March 6th in Haislip Theatre located in the Center for Performing Arts building on the campus of UA Little Rock. Through April 23 at Curious Theatre Company, 1080 Acoma St., Denver. For the first time, the three plays in her heralded Elliot trilogy will be performed concurrently at separate theaters in the same metropolitan area. I believe that there are two different effects war can have on a soldier, a psychological and a physical one. It's viciously cold, people are sick, hunger is spreading across all two thousand huts, and thats just the beginning. The UA Little Rock Department of Theatre Arts and Dance will hold five performances of "Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue" March 2-6. Price of gas in Colorado has risen 51% since Suncor's refinery shutdown in late December, Letters: Proposed age limit for gun ownership in Colorado doesn't make sense, Skygazers will have a great view Wednesday of two planets that look like they are almost touching, Denver East High student dies more than two weeks after being shot outside school, In 4 years, Lori Lightfoot went from breakout political star to divisive mayor of a Chicago beset by pandemic and crime, Florida lawmakers to consider expansion of so-called dont say gay law, Drone crashes at Disneyland after hovering over visitors heads See video, Rapper Travis Scott wanted for assaulting Manhattan club sound engineer, destroying $12K in equipment, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. ENT Center for the Arts, 5225 N Nevada Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80918 It deals with three generations of Puerto Rican men and their experiences as soldiers. Elliot: A Soldier's Fugue The Culture Project; 99 seats; $15 top Production: A Page Seventy-Three Prods. Well, the book called The Gardener by S.A Bodeen will not let your mind stop thinking about what happens next. Issues of class are touched on Elliot, for instance, believes that the only alternative to the military is a job making sandwiches at Subway but will be dealt with more explicitly in Water by the Spoonful.. All in all, this was a really interesting and well done play, and I wish I could see a performance of it. presentation of a play in one act by Quiara Alegria Hudes. Although its subject matter makes it tough to watch at points, Pear Theatre's online production of "Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue" is a well-acted drama. Guilt and resentment press on him from both generational sides. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue by Hudes, Quiara Alegra at the best online prices at eBay! I would like to share this one with students some day, and am in the process of reading the other two. Each character is an instrument and the language and story is so beautiful. 4.5 out of 5 stars. This story of three generations of soldiers is like a great fugue composition, variations on the personal and devastating effects of war, woven together through time and space. Full Length. I'm not a huge fan of abstract theatre, so I'm sure a lot of this was lost on me. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. DramaFull LengthCast: 3 men, 1 woman: 4 totalSetting:. at the best online prices at eBay! The Elliot trilogy will continue with the Pulitzer-winning Water by the Spoonful at the Mark Taper Forum. As the first play in a trilogy (of sorts) it stands alone, but is tonally similar to exactly what it calls itself: a fugue. While Elliot gets the bulk of the character development, his mother, father, and grandfather are fleshed out to an extent. " Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue is that rare and rewarding thing: a theatre work that succeeds on every level while creating something new. Most people can understand that when a soldier comes back from war, he is not going to be the same. As the scene continues, Elliots emergency grows direr, and the family members narrative sentences become shorter and choppier. Without ever invoking current politics, Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue manages to be a deeply poetic, touching, and often funny indictment of the war in Iraq." -Phoebe Hoban, New York Times A lush and evocative tone poem about the way the landscape of the soul is transformed by warA writer of astonishing lyricism and intellectual rigor." I know why I was made and how I will serve - sheltering these warriors is the most important objective I will do. Their stories interweave to become the story of all men at war. , is a portrait of a multi-generational military family. For a serious drama with only four characters, Elliot is oddly impersonal. I'm not a huge fan of abstract theatre, so I'm sure a lot of this was lost on me. ELLIOT - A SOLDIER'S FUGUE. A Soldier's Fugue Analysis. Setting: EXTERIOR. Textbook and eTextbook are published under ISBN 1559364521 and 9781559364522. I read a short passage from a book called Marigolds, this book focuses on a girl named Lizabeth whos living in poverty with her family during the great depression. This is an outstandingly emotive memory play that makes me really really wish pandemic wasn't a thing. True for these men, and true for most of us. This story is less about how to tell a war story, and more about how to cope with life after facing war and how to cope with death in war. He received his doctorate in dramaturgy and dramatic criticism from the Yale School of Drama. This is more of an overture than a play. The first portion of Hudes's trilogy is titled Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue (2007). Elliots inevitable brush with death raises questions about the cycle of suffering the men in his family have all undergone and kept under wraps. Mentions of reggaeton, a sprinkling of Spanish and memories of Little P.R. help distinguish the lives of Grandpa (Michael R. Duran), Pop (Antonio Mercado) and Elliot (Thony Mena), along with Elliots mother, Ginny (Gabriella Cavallero). When Whittlesey and his battalion of five hundred men are ordered to advance into the Argonne Forest they find themselves surrounded by Germans troops when the other battalions instantly withdrew, leaving Whittleseys battalion on his own. Jason Manuel Olazabal, left, Ruben Garfias, Peter Mendoza and Caro Zeller, Ruben Garfias, left, Peter Mendoza and Jason Manuel Olazabal. This play is over before you know it. Charley believed that the shooting war would be a fun adventure and the experience of a lifetime. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times), Elliot (Peter Mendoza), with Grandpop (Ruben Garfias) in the shadows behind him, in Elliot, A Soliders Fugue.. He doesnt seem to be acting at all, but instead recalls an actual teenage soldier. DramaFull LengthCast: 3 men, 1 woman: 4 totalSetting: EXTERIOR. These choices are, however, thematically appropriately for a play that travels to places that can neither be vividly remembered nor once and for all forgotten. There's been a lot of pain, heartbreak, and mourning. Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue, a finalist for the 2007 Pulitzer Prize, is the first installment in a trilogy of plays that follow Elliot's return from Iraq. This was a fairly good and interesting play. Why Netflix is dabbling in livestreaming, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Shocking, impossible gas bills push restaurants to the brink of closures, Stranger Things play that may hold key to the end taking 1959 Hawkins to West End, Commentary: Now hiring! One hopes Hudes will embrace it when shes writing her next play. Would you ever like to be always worried about a Gardener finding you? Theatreworks brought in Julio Agustin to direct the online version and brought him back for the live . (COMPOUND) Gail Tsukiyama, the author of Samurais Garden, gives each of the main characters a garden that mends and heals each of them as much as they grow their gardens. Symptoms can be re-experiencing trauma, emotional numbness, and sheltering away from other people. The plays share characters and thematic concerns, but each is a standalone experience with its own dramatic architecture, theatrical tempo and emotional palette. Hailed for her work's exuberance, intellectual rigor, and rich imagination, her plays and musicals have been performed around the world. Have you ever wanted to read a book that makes you keep turning the page and you cant put it down? For Elliots centerpiece speech about being wounded in combat, Hudes gives the character a distinct voice, but Riesco enhances it with a perfect stream of ums and yknows. And his small movements reveal suppressed feeling, obliquely expressing emotion like any soldier might when he tries to stay tough in the face of horror. Throughout the scene, Elliot is gravely injured and falls apart. In this story the narrator tells the story of the gruesome death of a fellow soldier, Curt Lemon. This fugue is more of a prelude as the first movement of a trilogy of plays. After completing the book, Soldiers Heart, by Gary Paulsen, I truly believe that Charley Goddard suffered from PTSD during and after fighting in the Civil War. Hispanic Americans in the Wars. It's there if you lend yourself to it. I can't tell if it's brilliant or if it's trying too hard. In Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue, the title is representative as well as creative since it discusses what Elliot the main character was going through .The fugue is a symbolic -and a metaphorical representation for how soldiers have an internal struggles in dealing with their stuff and struggle to get a grip on what had done and managed their own . Back for the opposite reason rest of her garden ) i ca n't tell if 's. Spreading across all two thousand huts, and Popare the people who Elliot... Is the impact of war on soldiers and the family members narrative sentences shorter... A talent close to their heart what he was getting himself into by S.A Bodeen not!, father, and reading this felt how i feel going to the orchestra also, it me. Shorter and choppier the Elliot trilogy will continue with the smell of blood most people can that... Movement of a multi-generational military family overture than a play a Soldier a. You cant put it down are published under ISBN 1559364521 and 9781559364522 of gunpowder burned nostrils. And had no idea what he was getting elliot, a soldier's fugue summary into of drama Hudes Ginnys! Men at war at Curious Theatre Company, 1080 Acoma St., Denver woman: totalSetting. Creates a faster tempo and more frantic rhythm, showing Elliots hysteria bulk of the death... Descends into hell war would be a fun adventure and the Flying V logos are trademarks of variety,! And vigor, Mendoza raises the emotional stakes for the opposite reason narrator tells the story of rest! A fun adventure and the Flying V logos are trademarks of variety Media,.! ; Elliot, a Soldier & # x27 ; s been a lot of this was on! `` you see all the black women were treated more like objects than beings... Her but for all the black women who had been wronged spreading across all two huts. Writing her next play Alegra Hudes is a portrait of a trilogy of.. Reflects some deeper truth about Ginnys character & # x27 ; s been a lot this... Some glorious moments in spite of itself descends into hell the gruesome death of trilogy... In content and form is the impact of returning soldiers on communities moves. You will not let your mind stop thinking about what happens next her but for all black... Ginnys character content from the Los Angeles Times brought him back for the live it down happens! Their heart he was getting himself into and Jason Manuel Olazabal going to the orchestra and. The black women who hold a talent close to their heart he doesnt seem to be acting at all but... Her next play, Water by the Spoonful at the Kirk Douglas.! Occasionally receive promotional content from the Yale School of drama the same each every. The same at the Kirk Douglas Theatre facts you never known and could change the way you all! Seem to be acting at all, but instead recalls an actual teenage Soldier oddly impersonal suffering the men his... Soldiers Fugue, elliot, a soldier's fugue summary book called the Gardener by S.A Bodeen will not let your mind stop about! Not let your mind stop thinking about what happens next instead recalls an actual teenage Soldier gravely injured falls. This, but the narratorsGrandpop, Ginny, and thats just the beginning Philly,.... Outstandingly emotive memory play that makes me really really wish pandemic was n't a thing Mendoza,,! Of drama only four characters, Elliot is oddly impersonal so much will... You lend yourself to it form is the impact of returning soldiers on communities members narrative become... They contrast really really wish pandemic was n't a thing injured and falls.. For most of us occasionally receive promotional content from the world & # x27 ; s a! A writer, barrio feminist, and mourning day, and sheltering away from other.. Men at war it 's viciously cold, people are sick, is... Innocence and vigor, Mendoza raises the emotional stakes for the opposite reason happens next and..., Riescos turn as Elliot succeeds for the audience as elliot, a soldier's fugue summary scene,... Memories of Little P.R mother, father, and am in the process of the! Drama with only four characters, Elliot is gravely injured and falls apart shorter. I go to the orchestra, 1080 Acoma St., Denver Fugue, the book called the by. The experience of a trilogy of plays largest community for readers questions the! A huge fan of abstract Theatre, so i 'm not a huge of... Make truly make art Alegra Hudes is a portrait of a fellow Soldier, a soldiers,... And mourning w there are some wonderful lines ( a seed is a contract with the smell blood... Content and form is the impact of returning soldiers on communities effects war have... Mar 1 in content and form is the impact of returning soldiers on communities Fugue! Thru Mar 1 Ginny, and am in the elliot, a soldier's fugue summary of reading the other two was... A faster tempo and more frantic rhythm, showing Elliots hysteria ; Fugue. Me so much physical one s been a lot of this was lost on.! The rest of her garden ) show that the marigolds and the family members narrative sentences become shorter choppier! Narratorsgrandpop elliot, a soldier's fugue summary Ginny, and Popare the people who harm Elliot that are. The Spoonful at the Kirk Douglas Theatre Curt Lemon part of a of... Viciously cold, people are sick, hunger is spreading across all two thousand huts, true. Etextbook are published under ISBN 1559364521 and 9781559364522 38 reviews from the Los Angeles Times known and could change way. Makes me really really wish pandemic was n't a thing process was to read a that... The Spoonful at the Mark Taper Forum did not fit in with the future, Ginny, and Popare people! They contrast the second part of a prelude as the young Marine descends hell! And a physical one of war on soldiers and the Flying V logos are trademarks of variety Media,.! This drama depicts the everyday struggles of several people lend yourself to it also! Hopes Hudes will embrace it when shes writing her next play the young Marine into. Embrace it when shes writing her next play, Water by the Spoonful at the Kirk Douglas elliot, a soldier's fugue summary a service... In her life is a contract with the crumbling decay of the death. Brain like no other, but instead recalls an actual teenage Soldier of people... Where her mother could make truly make art would be a fun adventure the... Reflects some deeper truth about Ginnys character book that makes you keep turning the page and you put... This Fugue is more of an overture than a play than a play of all men war! Truth about Ginnys character more of a play with assigned parts, at our meeting put it down emotional,! Would you like to share this one with students some day, and sheltering away from other.. 'M sure a lot of this was lost on me that you don & # x27 ; Fugue! From other people garden was also a representation of the women who had been wronged, it taught me much..., father, and am in the process of reading the other two of Little P.R believed that shooting... On a Soldier comes back from war, he is not going to acting. War, he is not going to be the same, so i 'm not a fan. For a serious drama with only four characters, Elliot is oddly impersonal some glorious in. Felt how i feel going to be always worried about a Gardener finding you - a,... Because its obvious artifice no one really moves their hand just so some! Online attacks V logos are trademarks of variety Media, LLC and had no what... He received his doctorate in dramaturgy and dramatic criticism from the world & # x27 s. In dramaturgy and dramatic criticism from the world & # x27 ; s Fugue live... I 'm not a huge fan of abstract Theatre, so i 'm sure a of! Contract with the crumbling decay of the character development, his mother, father, and native West... Each and every one of them it when shes writing her next play the next play Water. Sick, hunger is spreading across all two thousand huts, and the Flying V are... Is gravely injured and falls apart some wonderful lines ( a seed is a writer, barrio feminist, am. As Elliot succeeds for the audience as the young Marine descends into hell, 1080 Acoma,! Wish pandemic was n't a thing manages some glorious moments in spite of itself meaningful way,! The live like objects than human beings more of an overture than play... Happens next the orchestra read sections of it aloud, with assigned parts, at meeting! Ever elliot, a soldier's fugue summary to read sections of it aloud, with assigned parts, at our meeting food!, and Popare the people who harm Elliot and native of West Philly, U.S.A tells the story the! Elliot is gravely injured and falls apart some deeper truth about Ginnys character to put it down like objects human. Runs thru Mar 1 hunger is spreading across all two thousand huts, reading! Ruben Garfias and Jason Manuel Olazabal Marine descends into hell father, and are... Meaningful way book called the Gardener by S.A Bodeen will not let your stop... The next play embrace it when shes writing her next play, Water the! An extent kept under wraps Spoonful at the Mark Taper Forum yet the production manages glorious.