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Production vividly recounts story of a group of Marines and their families before, during and after deployment to Afghanistan

Garden City, NYAdelphi University is pleased to announce that BASETRACK Live, the powerful and engaging play adapted from interviews with veterans from the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines in Afghanistan and their families, will be performed at the Performing Arts Center (AUPAC) Westermann Stage (1 South Avenue, Garden City, NY) on Thursday, November 20, at 7:30 PM. The performance is part of Adelphi University’s “Changing Nature of War and Peace” initiative – a year-long series of events that focus on the historical, present and future areas of war, conflict and peace, both nationally and internationally. While recognizing the 100th anniversary of World War I, the initiative is also aimed at fostering dialogue among Adelphi’s students, faculty and community, as well as developing a discourse about peace and human rights.

Produced by the award-winning theatre company En Garde Arts, BASETRACK Live draws on the power of individual stories to examine the collective experience of those who have served in America’s longest war. Adapted from the popular Facebook page and website of photographs and videos taken in Afghanistan by a group of photojournalists led by Teru Kuwayama, BASETRACK Live is a multidisciplinary work at the intersection of theatre, music, new media, journalism and technology. The production uses theatre as a bridge between the military community and the broader public to spark a conversation about the human dimension of war. Created by Edward Bilous (Director of the Center for Innovation in the Arts at The Juilliard School), the production is adapted by award-winning writer Jason Grote (Mad Men, Smash) in collaboration with Director Seth Bockley and Producer Anne Hamburger, and scored by composers Michelle DiBucci, Ed Bilous and Greg Kalember, with music direction by Michelle DiBucci.

BASETRACK Live takes a different approach to its exploration of war and how it affects those directly and indirectly involved. At its core, it is about the human cost of war, following a Marine infantry unit and their family members back home. This powerful work tells the story of AJ Czubai, played by Tyler La Marr (who served two tours in Iraq), who relates stories from his deployment with a mix of charm and grit. The stories range from comedic anecdotes to shocking moments of vulnerability.

The production is funded in part by the New England Foundation for the Arts National Theater Project, with lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the MetLife Foundation and piece by piece productions.

Adelphi University’s Performing Arts Center is one of Long Island’s premier cultural arts venues for entertainment of all kinds. Tickets for BASETRACK Live are on sale now and are priced at $35/$30 with discounts available to seniors, students and alumni. For more information about all events at AUPAC and to purchase tickets, visit aupac.adelphi.edu. Information is available at The Lucia and Steven N. Fischer Box Office at (516) 877-4000 or boxoffice@adelphi.edu. Regular box office hours are Tuesday through Friday from 1-6 PM. The box office is also open two hours before most scheduled performances.