The Guys
Embedded
By Tim Robbins
With reportage from John Simpson, BBC; Alan Feuer, New York Times; Robert Fisk, The Independent; and Martha Gellhorn
Co-directed by David Jenkins and Shawn Paonessa
Aug. 14 – 31, 2008
Thu. – Sat. 8pm, Sun. 4pm
Tickets: $24.50
Shimberg Playhouse, Straz Center for the Performing Arts
Winner!
- Creative Loafing 2008 Top 10 Production
- Jobsite Jobby – Best Play
- Jobsite Jobby – Best Director – David M. Jenkins & Shawn Paonessa
The southeastern US premiere!
Set in the fictional “Gomorrah” where American forces are preparing to do battle with “the butcher of Babylon,” Embedded is an audacious and often hilarious satire-drama about the start of the Iraq War.
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"… a surprisingly touching and balanced play." – Los Angeles Times
"…while the already converted will not be disappointed, there is enough in this show that gets beyond political slogans and snaps, crackles and pops with considerable freshness…" – Chicago Sun Times
Between the heavily satirized Office of Special Plans (featuring a cabal of masked characters with names like Rum-Rum, Cove, Dick and Woof) and the tenderly depicted men and women serving in the armed forces, Embedded pits the journalists – conflicted between searching for the truth and submitting their reports (and paychecks) through the many gatekeepers struggling to keep the media on the "right" side.
Through its quest to find the truth and fault across all party lines, Embedded finds its balance by incorporating actual journalistic reports from news sources such as the BBC and New York Times, some of which never made it into the American media.
The original Los Angeles production by Robbins’ own The Actors’ Gang was described as “a ripped-from-the-headlines satire about the madness surrounding the brave women and men on the front lines in a Mideast conflict. [It] skewers cynical embedded journalists, scheming government officials, a show-tune singing colonel, and the media's insatiable desire for heroes."
Tim Robbins interviewed embedded journalist Evan Wright of Rolling Stone and HBO's Generation Kill as part of his research, along with Anthony Swofford, the Gulf War I veteran who wrote the popular book Jarhead. In 2003 after the premiere of this play, Robbins was greatly criticized by conservative media for his perceived lack of patriotism. The most famous contretemps involved the baseball hall of fame, who uninvited Robbins and cancelled a screening of the baseball comedy Bull Durham.
Robbins is known in Hollywood for both his acting (Mystic River, Bob Roberts, Short Cuts) and his directing (Dead Man Walking, Cradle Will Rock.) Formed in 1981, The Actors' Gang has produced 68 plays, six of which were directed by Robbins, the company’s Artistic Director.
Jobsite is also no stranger to political satire, having successfully produced such works as The Complete History of America (abridged), The Mineola Twins, We Won’t Pay! We Won’t Pay! and Accidental Death of an Anarchist.
Age recommendation: 16+ Contains adult situations and language.
About the Artists
Jobsite’s production is co-directed by David M. Jenkins and Shawn Paonessa with a scenic design by Brian Smallheer, costumes by Katrina Stevenson and masks from Chicago’s Richard Henzel. The ensemble of 11 actors – most of whom play multiple parts – is comprised of Curtis Belz, Steve Garland, Josh Goff, Amy Grey, Meg Heimstead, Chris Holcom, Alvin Jenkins, Betty-Jane Parks, Kyle Porter, Roz Potenza and Christopher Rutherford.
Check out the cast and crew bios for more.
