Last Out was pulled from the experiences of the longest war in American history, a war mostly fought in the shadows. This is a one-act play, with a small cast of combat veterans and military-family members playing multiple roles. An elegy is a lament for the dead, therefore all scenes take place somewhere in the after-life, spanning different times from Danny’s youth and military career from May 1989 until his death in 2015.

War comes with many costs, some more obvious than others. The physical wounds and loss of life are tragic but visible, and burdens that are readily shared. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of thousands of military veterans and family members for whom the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are still being waged, at home. Their stories are seldom told and rarely understood. This is not only unfortunate, but a threat to our national security and the fabric of our society – but we’re changing that.

Throughout history, societies have used storytelling to help warriors integrate back into society, and Last Out follows in that tradition. The mission of this production is to validate the journey of our military veterans and their families while building genuine and well-informed understanding in the communities where they live.

After 18 years of conflict, and no relief in sight for our small, volunteer force, it’s critical that our citizens and political leaders get beyond “thank you for your service.” If America is going to continue to send her sons and daughters into the crucible of combat, American Citizens damn sure need to know what we are asking them to do. We believe that Last Out is a powerful and meaningful way to do just that.

Last Out is produced by the 501c3 non-profit, The Heroes Journey.