Urbanite’s Play a Deep Delve into a Vet’s Struggle with PTSD

PTSD takes front and center stage in this poignant, one-man drama at Urbanite Theatre.

A soldier, plagued with recurring nightmares and memories of losing his camarades in war,  is desperate to seek help when he returns to U.S. soil. But no traditional therapy seems to help.

Carrying the ghosts of his tour that eventually lands him into a vet psychiatric hospital and padded cell, he’s faced with a sobering decision: seek help with his PTSD with Virtual Reality therapy, or risk losing his family forever.

The electrifying performance by L. James as “the soldier,” captivates the audience from start to finish and allows us access into the mind and psyche of a deeply disturbed man who is on a personal healing recovery.

At the very beginning we experience a raging, angry man who uses expletives to convey his frustration and fear of living in a nightmare world. We hear the sounds of explosions, fires, flashing lights, emergency vehicles whizzing by. “Breathe. Breathe. Breathe,” his therapists tell him whenever there is a trigger.

As time goes by in this 60 minute play, the audience works through his traumatic past and applauds him as he reaches a place of peace, thanks to the wonders of technology and virtual reality therapy. We witness a brave person struggling against incomprehensible challenges and who achieves some seismic shifts by the end of the play.

“This play is an investigation about how difficult it is for veterans who emerge from war and need help for their PTSD,” says L. James.”  It gives a voice to those who don’t have a voice. A realization that help is needed, and that just because you as a vet seek help, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Urbanite Theatre is one of the gems of Sarasota and is an award-winning professional theater located in the heart of downtown Sarasota. In an intimate setting, they produce thrilling new works in a fully flexible black-box theater. Urbanite Theatre is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Artistic Director: Brendan Ragan (also the director of Backwards Forward Backwards). Artistic Director is Summer Wallace.Backwards Forward Backwards tickets are available at Urbanite (through April 23), and worth seeing. For tickets, call the box office at (941) 321-1397 or visit urbanitetheatre.com. (through April 23), and worth seeing. For tickets, call the box office at (941) 321-1397.

YouTube preview of show

DON’T MISS THESE UPCOMING EVENTS AT URBANITE

Modern Works Festival,  May 3rd-7th.

Urbanite Theatre presents the
Modern Works Festival
May 3rd-7th, 2023

Urbanite Theatre will present its 4th Annual Modern Works Festival. Cultivated by
Producing Artistic Director Summer Wallace, the Modern Works Festival is a playwriting contest, reading festival, and celebration of women in theater.

Returning to an in-person experience, they welcome their 2023 playwright finalists Brenda
Withers (NYC) presenting WESTMINSTER, Kate Douglas (NYC) presenting THE APIARY, and Jenna
Rashid (Orlando,FL) presenting THERAPY. See all three finalist readings and become eligible to vote on
the festival-winning playwright.

Below is the playwright finalists reading schedule:

WESTMINSTER by Brenda Withers
May 4th at 2pm, May 6th at 8pm

THE APIARY by Kate Douglas
May 4th at 8pm, May 6th at 2pm

THERAPY by Jena Rashid
May 5th at 2pm, May 7th at 2pm

Andrea Martone

Andrea Martone is a former Arts & Entertainment Editor for the Sarasota Observer Newspaper Group, as well as a former Editor-in-Chief of a Long Island (New York) newspaper chain. She moved to Sarasota 14 years ago after working as an executive in NYC in public relations and marketing. She currently is a Public relations & marketing consultant and President of Insightful PR. She lives and breathes all things art, culture, music food and wine and is proud to be the Executive Editor of Sarasota Events Calendar.

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