Won and Lost

Apple Core Theater Company makes its official debut with Won and Lost, a pair of one-acts examining the American veteran experience, featuring a revival of Pvt. Wars by James McLure and the premiere of The Return of Odysseus by Steven Gridley.

In McLure’s dark comedy, three Vietnam veterans pass the time together in a military hospital while coping with their life-changing injuries. But the quirky small talk and mischievous practical jokes serve to hide each man’s inner turmoil and isolation from the outside world. As the three men say again and again, they can leave the hospital at any time–and yet, they stay.

In The Return of Odysseus, a quiet, humble farmer is approached by an eager, young journalist about his experience in World War II. Stationed as a construction worker on Wake Island in the Pacific, the farmer with no military training sank a Japanese ship when the station came under attack–a heroic achievement that the journalist wants to celebrate. But it’s what happened after the ship sank that prevents the farmer from talking. Like Pvt. Wars, this heartbreaking play looks at the disconnection and misunderstanding between civilians and veterans.