The Boys of Winter

Half a world away from Vietnam three high school seniors are playing hockey … for their lives. The year is 1966. The place is Minnesota. Upon graduation they will either go to college or end up in Vietnam.The Boys of Winter is a memory play about a Vietnam veteran reflecting on his youth in the Midwest of the 60’s while reconciling demons in the present. Clearly there is a parallel to returning veterans from Iraq and the tragic lessons of Vietnam, never learned and repeating themselves 40 years later.The Boys of Winter delves into the lives of what could be any young man or woman compelled or forced to head out and "defend this nation" by fighting on foreign soil. If and when they return, it is a matter of debate as to whether these soldiers and their loved ones are actually able to move on in a positive manner from their combat duties. The Boys of Winter wrestles with the lessons learned from our nation’s Vietnam experience. The playwrights are keen on provoking current audiences into becoming more aware of those who are now returning in droves from Iraq and Afghanistan. Instant recall about our current engagement should not only be triggered when we’re driving under an overpass decorated with signs of "welcome home."