Tango Mike (Thanks Much)

by Daniel Stone

Live reading by National Michael Chekhov Association

Monday, March 13th at 7:30 p.m.

Sanders Theatre | Fort Worth Community Arts Center

1300 Gendy St, Fort Worth 76107

Cast:

Buddy- Ian Mead Moore

Christy- Jennifer Kuenzer

Darcy- Taren Harlowe

Cooper- Michael Corolla

Megan- Augusta Bailey

Trigger- J.R. Bradford

Carlos- Ryan Ramirez

Stage Directions - Lee Quick

Director - Merri Brewer

Set in rural Oregon during a Memorial Day barbecue. Mike "Buddy" McIntyre, an Iraq war veteran, and his family are celebrating the holiday with friends. Buddy’s father, Cooper, unexpectedly shows up after having been estranged from the family for fifteen years. Buddy and his father’s relationship has been strained because of Cooper’s post-traumatic stress disorder he developed during his time in Vietnam. Buddy is now facing the same issues, but now with his own family. This play examines how PTSD can affect not only the individual, but the loved ones surrounding the inflicted. Tango Mike is one of my Community Engaged Plays. This particular play is based on the experiences veterans and their families suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder living in rural Oregon. Some of the language within this script may be politically incorrect and harsh and I do not agree with but is truthful to the language used by community participants. The process in creating this work involves the collaboration and participation of members of the communities with which we are working. Information and experiences are shared through a series of story circles and personal interviews.

Playwright Bio

In 2019 Dan was recognized by the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival National Committee for Teaching Artistry. He is a co-founder of Sanctuary Stage, a theater company that focuses on Socially Engaged Participatory Theatre. Recently, an article on his work with Sanctuary Stage has been published in the International Journal of Social, Political, and Community Agendas in the Arts, titled, Oregon's Sanctuary Stage: Giving Voice to the Voiceless. Dan's work is also featured in a chapter in a newly released book titled Artist Activating Sustainability: the Oregon Story. He is passionate about telling the stories of people and communities around us. Dan is currently an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Tarleton State University.