Rambo: The Missing Years
Friday 3/4/11 8:30pm
Saturday 3/5/11 1:00pm
Saturday 3/5/11 5:30pm
Sunday 3/6/11 7:00pm
Friday 3/11/11 10:00pm
Saturday 3/12/11 7:00pm
$9
Broken Leg Stage – 1470 N Van Ness Ave.
Threats of treason charges! Phone calls from the Pentagon! Bad mashed potatoes! The hilarious autobiographical story of a Vietnam-era draftee who, without breaking the rules, asserts his right to organize his fellow soldiers against the war. In this solo performance, Petrick brings a cast of colorful characters to life as he recounts his misadventures confronting the military bureaucracy as a young antiwar GI.
Howard Petrick Presents
San Francisco, California
Solo Performance/Comedy, 60 minutes, Rated R
Latecomers permitted within 15 minutes
I thoroughly enjoyed this show. Mr. Petrick’s ability to play so many characters of such variety is impressive and keeps the audience engaged. Very interesting story – it definitely made me think!
A fascinating show by a fantastic actor who never lost me while playing multiple characters. I was fully entertained and engaged the entire time. An interesting and memorable story.
Yes, very funny and very well acted. He plays them all well, but the best character of all is himself, the reluctant hero.
Along with “Pushing Boundaries”, another gem not to be missed is “Rambo: The Missing Years.” The story is funny, poignant and important. The characters are strong and acting well-done.
Howard was wonderful in this show based on his life. His performance was great. It gave me a glimpse of the sentiment and movement that existed in the armed forces during the Vietnam War. Most of us know about the antiwar movement in general but don’t know about the resistance in the military. “Rambo: The Missing Years” was informative and entertaining.
“Rambo: The Missing Years” is engaging, funny, and inspiring. Petrick skillfully enacts his experience as a very reluctant draftee during the Vietnam War. He moves with ease from character to character in this tightly scripted show which illustrates the power of a principled stand. Don’t miss this!
Don’t miss this one. If you are too young to remember the Viet Nam War era or need a memory boost, Howard Petrick’s autobiographical account of his army experiences captures the stupidity of army education and bureaucracy and the brilliance of draftees whose anti-war activities undermined it. It’s pitch perfect, cleverly written, and beautifully performed.
This show provides a fascinating glimpse into the banal and bureaucratic side of Vietnam on the home (and away-from-home) front. Plus, it’s very, very funny. Howard’s characters—from drill sergeants to army cooks to runaway draftees to military lawyers—are so real and, did I mention, funny…? After seeing the show in San Francisco, I found out that Howard Petrick is an actual folk hero, with actual folk songs written about him, like “Free Howie.” And his refusal to give up his principles led to changes in army policy towards speaking out in uniform. Whatever your politics, this show is testimony to the power of free speech and nonviolent resistance. Oh, and did I mention it’s FUNNY?