BACK

Melanie’s husband is back from the Iraq war — or is he?

Craig Marker, Christen Karle, Julia Brothers, Gwen Loeb, and Will Marchetti in the world premiere of BACK as part ot the 9th Annual Best of PlayGround Festival on May 12, 2005. Directed by Jonathan Moscone.

This post-9/11 play is based on the 16th century court case accusing Martin Guerre of being an imposter. Here’s to veterans and women at this 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attack — and the end of America’s war in Afghanistan and women fighting back against the violent attack on women’s health in Texas.

CAST OF CHARACTERS
Melanie, F, 24, any background or ethnicity.
This Guy, M, 25, any background or ethnicity.
Wanda, F, Melanie’s sister, 29, any background or ethnicity.
Perry, M, Melanie’s father, 55, any background or ethnicity.
Laurette, F, Melanie’s mother, 50, any background or ethnicity.

TIME & SETTING
2003. MARTY and MELANIE’s studio apartment. Bag of toys is onstage.

MELANIE. (Holding a big kitchen knife, sitting on the couch next to THIS GUY. Speaking to the audience.) 9–11 changed us. Everybody says that. It changed Marty. We had only been married three months, then the Twin Towers. And Marty, who likes to goof around and tell dumb jokes, decides he’s got to enlist. Got to. He went a little crazy with it. You remember how it was — fear, anger, crazy pride, patriotism. It seemed like the Army was the right…