LOCAL Houston | The City Guide MARCH 2016 | Page 42

COMMUNITY

A TALE TO TELL

Houston veterans are front and center this March at the Alley Theatre. The Telling Project puts
local veterans and military families on stage to share their stories, in their own words, before their
community. The Texas-based, national performing arts nonprofit uses theater to deepen civilian
understanding of the military experience. With less than 1% serving in the armed forces today,
Americans have become increasingly separated from those who serve. The Telling Project works to
bridge this gap by collaborating with communities to produce performances where local veterans
and their family members speak directly to civilians about their military experiences. Max Rayneard,
The Telling Project’s Senior Writer and Director, interviewed several local veterans and military
spouses spanning the last 50 years of U.S. military history, featuring enlisted and officers, men,
women, Army, Marines, Navy, with tours of duty in Afghanistan, Iraq, Japan, Somalia and Vietnam.
From those interviews, a script will be constructed, interweaving these stories of service into a threeact play. The partnership with the Alley Theatre marks The Telling Project’s debut in Houston, which
has the highest concentration of veterans in Texas and the second largest in the country.
Telling: Houston premieres FRIDAY, MARCH 25, AT 8PM AT THE ALLEY THEATRE in downtown Houston, with
six performances scheduled through Sunday, April 3. Performances are free. Advanced reservations
are required.
www.alleytheatre.org

By Carla Valencia de Martinez

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