No Refund Theater will present Pvt. Wars, a dark comedy with political undertones, as its swan song for the spring semester.

Dave Zigerelli (junior-journalism) will make his debut as a director with this NRT performance.

"This play has never been on Broadway and has rarely been performed at all," Zigerelli said. "It has been challenging because we really have nothing but the script to work with."

Pvt. Wars, written by James McLure, involves three privates who served for the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War. The play takes place in a veteran's hospital after the war.

"The title Pvt. Wars involves the internal battles the characters face," Zigerelli said.

Zigerelli said that each role is very important to the play.

"The three guys are the only cast members so they have to carry the whole play," Zigerelli said. "The actors have done a spectacular job with trying to make the characters real."

Mary Ann Brosnan (sophomore-English) served as an assistant director for the production.

"I focused on character and script analysis," Brosnan said. "The characters are very substantial and each has a great monologue."

Brosnan said that the cast has been rehearsing four days a week since spring break.

"We have all the right things in the right places," Brosnan said. "[The play] has come together well."

Tim Portnoy (sophomore-theater) plays Gatley, a southerner and Vietnam veteran.

"My character is sort of mentally damaged or shell-shocked after the war," Portnoy said. "It was challenging to play this character because he is in a different mental state and has different way of thinking."

Portnoy explained that his character was not in his normal state of mind.

"[My character] spends the show in the hospital trying to fix a radio and through this process, is fixing himself."

Jeff Piotrowski (sophomore-finance) plays Silvio, a street-wise Italian man who served in Vietnam.

"My character got his penis blown off in the war and puts on a macho act to make up for this fact," Piotrowski said. "What was taken away from [my character] is very symbolic."

Piotrowski said that this role was very different from other roles he has played in the past.

"I had to change my posture and accent," Piotrowski said. "I had to
make myself very aware of the physical aspects of the performance. My character is always moving and very unpredictable."

Dustin Yenser (sophomore-secondary education) played Natwick, an upper-class man who comes from a family with huge expectations and signs up for the army to get attention and actually has to end up serving.

"My character is the most voluntary to be in the hospital because his needs are met and there is no pressure," Yenser said. "He is also a lot smarter than the others so that gives him an ego boost."

Zigerelli hopes the play appeals to the college crowd.

"This play is humorous and very emotional, but it has subtle political messages" Zigerelli said. "Many people were sent into the [Vietnam] War, but we never look at what happened afterward. I think college kids will be able to relate to the play because the issues addressed in it are still prominent even 30 years after the Vietnam War."