Veterans' Voices is a project that aims to communalize the experiences of veterans through the arts, especially theatre and film, but through other mediums as well. Paul Woodruff and Johnny Meyer began working on this program in 2013. Paul and Johnny are based in Austin, Texas. Their plays and productions include American Volunteers, Ithaca in Black and White, Aeschylus' Agamemnon, and many others.
The following programs critically influenced the development of Veterans' Voices.
The following programs critically influenced the development of Veterans' Voices.
Ancient Greeks/Modern Lives was a major national initiative that brought humanities based public programming to public libraries, arts centers, theaters and museums across America.
Ancient Greeks/Modern Lives sought to inspire people to come together to read, see, and think about classical literature and how it continues to influence and invigorate American cultural life.
The program was the brain child of Peter Meineck, the founder of Aquila Theatre. The program received support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the New York Council for Humanities, the New York University Center for Ancient Studies, the Urban Libraries Council, the American Philological Association, and the Center for Hellenic Studies.
Ancient Greeks/Modern Lives sought to inspire people to come together to read, see, and think about classical literature and how it continues to influence and invigorate American cultural life.
The program was the brain child of Peter Meineck, the founder of Aquila Theatre. The program received support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the New York Council for Humanities, the New York University Center for Ancient Studies, the Urban Libraries Council, the American Philological Association, and the Center for Hellenic Studies.
Peter Meineck founded Aquila Theatre to 'bring the greatest works to the greatest number.' The company specializes in touring classical plays. Aquila Theatre is based in New York City. Peter is also a classicist and a former Royal Marine. Between himself and Paul Woodruff, they have translated all of Sophocles' plays. The current artistic director is Desiree Sanchez, Peter's wife and partner.
Humanities Texas hosted two Veterans' Voices events in 2013. The first occurred on Memorial Day, and used excerpts from classical Greek drama and poems to explore the many facets of wartime experience. The second event occurred on Veterans Day (Remembrance Day), and used a wide-range of poems and plays to help participants understand (and critique) the concept of honor.
Special thanks is owed to veteran-organizers Luke Perez, Lon Olson, and Mike Flynn. The event would not have been possible without the many audience-participants in attendance, and the gracious staff of Humanities Texas.
Special thanks is owed to veteran-organizers Luke Perez, Lon Olson, and Mike Flynn. The event would not have been possible without the many audience-participants in attendance, and the gracious staff of Humanities Texas.
In 2013, The Front Porch hosted a series of veteran-oriented programs that allowed soldiers to tell their stories and share them with the community. As a part of their Fourth of July event, the Front Porch hosted Johnny Meyer as he led the Front Porch audience in a reading of excerpts from Greek plays and poems.
Special thanks is owed to the founder of Front Porch, the Reverend Doctor Stephen Kinney, and the pastors and parishioners at All Saints Episcopal Church near UT-Austin.
Special thanks is owed to the founder of Front Porch, the Reverend Doctor Stephen Kinney, and the pastors and parishioners at All Saints Episcopal Church near UT-Austin.
In the fall of 2013, Professors John Blood, Elizabeth Danze, and Stephen Sonnenberg taught an advanced design studio at the University of Texas School of Architecture. In the seminar, each of the students conceptualized and designed a building with express aim of providing a venue for veterans to share their experiences with the local community.
To prepare them for the task, the professors introduced their students to combat veterans from Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan (including Paul and Johnny), and asked them to share their experiences with the class. The students also read and discussed a variety of literary expressions of wartime experience, including Kevin Powers' recent book, The Yellow Birds. In the end, the buildings the students designed demonstrated their own unique perspective, but also valiantly attempted to use the aesthetics of space to foster the development of a community unafraid of its veteran population, and willing to fully embrace the current costs of American democracy.
To prepare them for the task, the professors introduced their students to combat veterans from Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan (including Paul and Johnny), and asked them to share their experiences with the class. The students also read and discussed a variety of literary expressions of wartime experience, including Kevin Powers' recent book, The Yellow Birds. In the end, the buildings the students designed demonstrated their own unique perspective, but also valiantly attempted to use the aesthetics of space to foster the development of a community unafraid of its veteran population, and willing to fully embrace the current costs of American democracy.
Johnny continued his collaboration with Aquila Theatre in the winter and spring of 2016 through their Warrior Chorus program, which culminated in an off-broadway show at 29 Jay Street in Brooklyn. As a part of this show, Johnny performed in Sophocles' Philoctetes in the role of Neoptolemus.
In the spring of 2016, Johnny also began a six-month fellowship with the award-winning BEDLAM theatre company in New York City. Funding for the project was provided by the Mission Continues program, which enables veterans to work directly with non-profit organizations. He will be working BEDLAM's Stephan Wolfert to further develop BEDLAM's outstanding outreach programming which focuses on bringing free acting classes to groups affected by violence, especially military veterans.
As a part of the fellowship with BEDLAM, Johnny received two-weeks of hands-on training as a teaching artist with Lincoln Center Education in the summer of 2016. He also taught at the Broadway Teachers Workshop with Stephan Wolfert, and was a guest teacher at the Rutgers Summer Acting Conservatory with Karen Alvarado.
As a part of the fellowship with BEDLAM, Johnny received two-weeks of hands-on training as a teaching artist with Lincoln Center Education in the summer of 2016. He also taught at the Broadway Teachers Workshop with Stephan Wolfert, and was a guest teacher at the Rutgers Summer Acting Conservatory with Karen Alvarado.
The image above was taken from Google's archive of unpublished LIFE photographs. This particular photo is from the Burma Campaign, 1942.