BURY THE DEAD
September 19, 2005
at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo

    In June of 2005, the Toronto-based organization Artists Against War put out the call to socially-conscious thespians world-wide to hold staged readings of the breath-taking anti-war play BURY THE DEAD all on the same day -- Monday, September 19, 2005.  The purpose of this "Bury the Dead Project" -- as it came to be known -- was to promote and galvanize anti-war sentiment in preparation for the mass anti-war demonstration in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, September 24.
     Subversive Theatre was quick to sign up to be one of the many theaters throughout North America -- as well as one in the tiny Southeast Asian Nation of Singapore -- to hold staged readings on the appointed day.
     Taking place "Two years into the war that is to begin tomorrow night," this 1936 One-Act drama by Group Theater playwright Irwin Shaw depicts fallen soldiers rising from their graves to denounce "the exchange of life for colored pins on a general's map."  As these deceased soldiers speak to their loved ones about the lives that were taken away from them, BURY THE DEAD delivers a chilling and powerful indictment against war that seems all too relevant to issues in the world today.
     Our Buffalo presentation of this international effort blossomed into a massive event involving twenty-seven of the City's most talented and most progressive actors and drawing an audience of over three hundred people to the rustic sanctuary of the Unitarian Universalist Church. With coverage on Cable Access Television, multiple radio broadcasts, and even the Eleven O'Clock Network News, Subversive Theatre's staged reading was a resounding success raising over six hundred dollars towards the cost of busing area activists to the anti-war demonstration in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, September 24th.
     Co-sponsored by a long list of local anti-war organizations including the Western New York Peace Center, the International Action Center of Buffalo, the Interfaith Peace Network, the Buffalo War Resisters' League, Western New York Veterans for Peace, Buffalo Peace People, and the Buffalo Forum, this production could not have been possible without the exceptional work of the following cast, crew, and volunteers who made an invaluable contribution of their time, talents, and passion -- thank you one and all: 

THE CREW Director . . . . . . . . . . . . Kurt Schneiderman* Stage Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . Jessica Felix* House Manager . . . . . . . . .  Michael Fanelli* Organizational Assistance . .  Jeanette Rehac* Postering Director . . . . . . . . .  Jenny Peshut* Publicity Director . . . . . . . . .  Sandra Jardin* Pre-Show Entertainment . . . . . . .  Joni Russ* THE CAST (in order of appearance) Narration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Loftus First Soldier . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Geoff Kumm Second Soldier . . . . . . . . . .  Donald Capers Third Soldier . . . . . . . . . . .  Bob Grabowski Sergeant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Mike Dugan Priest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  David Granville* First Corpse . . . . . . . . Thomas LaChiusa*+ Second Corpse . . . . . . . . . . . . Hugh Davis Third Corpse . . . . Matthew Crehan Higgins Fourth Corpse . . . . . . Richard Satterwhite+ Captain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dan Walker First General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Neil Garvey Second General . . . . . . Timothy C. White+ Third General . . . . . . . . . . . .  Joe Giambra Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul O'Hern Stenographer . . . . . . . . . Kimberly Sherer* Reporter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff Coyle Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tom Scahill* First Whore . . . . . . . . . . .  Elizabeth Oddy Second Whore . . . . . . . . .  Tanya Shaffer* First Business Man . . . . . . .  Barry Shaffer Second Business Man . .  Larry Rowswell* Third Business Man . . . . .  Robert Hodas* Joan Levy . . . . . . . . . . . . . Katie White*+ Katherine Driscoll . . . Patricia Armstrong* Mrs. Dean . . . . . . . Kathleen Betsko Yale Martha Webster . . . . . . . . . Dana Block* + = members of the Actors' Equity Association * = members of the Subversive Theatre Collective