College of the Ozarks students to perform free, patriotic play

POINT LOOKOUT, MO. — The College of the Ozarks will present its annual, free, patriotic play, October through November, on select dates. Back by popular demand, the play is “Breaking the Silence: Stories of Vietnam Veterans,” which tells the stories of five heroes, all who have connections to the College.

 

The play is based on the book Vietnam 101, by Dr. Jerry C. Davis, retired chancellor of College of the Ozarks, and adapted for the stage by Young. Guests in attendance for the first showing, on Oct. 15, will receive a free copy of the book.

 

This true story chronicles the lives of five Veterans: Army Nurse Lou Eisenbrandt; Army Colonel Tony Nadal; 1st Marine Colonel Bill Duncan, otherwise known as Texas Pete; Colonel Donald “Doc” Ballard, Navy corpsman with the 4th Marines and Medal of Honor recipient; and Sergeant John Ligato, Marine platoon leader. Each of these individuals have traveled with C of O through the Patriotic Education Travel Program.

 

The showing of a patriotic play is a fall tradition at College of the Ozarks. Performances take place in the Royal Oak Forum, located in The Keeter Center, and are free and open to the public. Tickets are not required; seating is first-come, first-served.

 

All performances are open to bus tour groups. The duration of the play is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. For more information and for reservations, call (417) 690-2929.

 

When the Vietnam soldiers returned home, they were not met with parades, explosions of confetti, striking up of bands, cheers of joy, honoring ceremonies … nothing. Breaking the Silence is a play which tells these true stories with the hope that younger generations will recognize the sacrifices of their grandparents, the heartbreaking way American soldiers were treated as they returned home from Vietnam, and the disillusionment of anti-American philosophy which has pervaded our country.

 

“Out of the darkness of political misguidance from Washington surrounding the Vietnam War are the stories of the men and women who admirably served, shining like the setting sun,” said Mark Young, M.F.A., professor of theatre and playwright.

 

“We focused a lot on the students in class and their interactions with the Veteran characters. The students are able to witness firsthand how impactful their performance is to the Veterans who came to see the show,” Young said.

 

Play Dates — Performances will take place in The Keeter Center’s Royal Oak Forum. The play’s duration is approximately one hour and 15 minutes.

 

2 pm Showings: October 15, 24, 26, 29, 31

7 pm Showing: October 17

 

2 pm Showings: November 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12

 

Narrator 1, Kaelen Ludden, sophomore hospitality major from Bolivar, Missouri

Narrator 2, Kobe Clay, senior theater major from Mount Ida, Arkansas

Lou/ Nurse, Victoria Rivera, junior theater major from Siloam Springs, Arkansas

Bill/Texas Pete, Jacob Priestner, senior theater major from Springdale, Arkansas

Doc/Corpsman, Gage Hauck, junior music theater major from Camdenton, Missouri

Tony/Caption, Samuel Pitt, senior business administration major from Greenwood Village, Colorado

John/ Marine, Tierce Carmody, junior theater major from De Soto, Missouri

Amy/Student, Grace Rainwater, senior theater major from Las Vegas, Nevada

Natasha/Student, Michelle Lyons, senior music theater major from Hollister, Missouri

Charity/Student, Anna Veit, senior theater major from Bartlesville, Oklahoma

Daughter/Protester, Emma Walters, senior theater major from Silva, Missouri

Mother, Phoebe Ulmer, senior music theater major from Seneca, Kansas

College Professor/Cab driver, Thomas Miller, junior musical theater major from Creighton, Missouri

Son/JFK, Hayden Grimm, junior biblical studies major from Elon, North Carolina

Wife, Brekken Manning, freshman musical theater major from Wyandotte, Oklahoma

Stage Manager, Winter Godfrey, junior video production major from Alpena, Arkansas

 

For additional information, contact Public Relations Director Valorie Coleman at (417) 690-2212.

About College of the Ozarks

College of the Ozarks is a private, Christian, liberal arts college, located in Point Lookout, Missouri, on a 1,000-acre campus. Christian values, hard work, and financial responsibility comprise the fundamental building blocks of the “Hard Work U.” experience. The College earns numerous accolades yearly, including No. 2 Best Performers on Social Mobility-Regional Colleges in the Midwest and No. 4 Best Regional College in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for 2024-2025 and No. 3 Best Bang for the Buck by Washington Monthly, 2024. To achieve its vision, the College pursues academic, vocational, Christian, patriotic, and cultural goals. These goals are mirrored in School of the Ozarks, a laboratory school that completes the K-college model.

The Keeter Center — the College’s award-winning lodge, restaurant, and conference facility — earns awards consistently, including the TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Award 2024 and the Best of the Best and Readers’ Choice Awards 2023 from ConventionSouth magazine. The Keeter Center features historic lodging, fine dining, and meeting rooms. With more than 350 student workers, it is the largest workstation on campus.