Pamela Princiotta ‘19
Staff Writer
Actor Stephen Lang is coming to Merrimack to perform a one man show, “Beyond Glory,” on Nov. 1. Lang is a popular actor who has starred in “Avatar,” “Terra Nova,” “Gettysburg,” “Don’t Breathe” and several other films. Merrimack is the first stop of a ten city national tour, and there are no additional shows in the Boston area.
“I have been trying to bring Lang and this show to the college … and this year his filming schedule and our production schedule worked out,” said Father Richard Piatt, Director of the Roger Center for the Arts. He explained how the play is based on the book of the same name.
It is about “eight different Medal of Honor recipients. Mr. Lang … will play each of the eight men, which is in itself a feat of complex acting skill,” said Piatt.
David Marshall, a student working with technical staff during this show, agrees that this one-man show takes an “extremely skilled performer.”
According to Piatt, the content of the play fits with Merrimack’s history because Merrimack was founded as a place where local veterans returning home from World War II could get a college education while also remaining close to home to support their families. Piatt hopes this play will bring a sense of pride for those who have served in armed forces and for those who have not. It will bring a deeper understanding and appreciation for those who have made sacrifices for the United States.
Bobbie-Jean Powell-Kelly, the Rogers Center box office manager, adds that this show will remind people of “the individual, human side of war and its consequences.”
Powell-Kelly continues, “But when we hear the stories of the people who are out there everyday on the front lines, we are reminded that we are protected by a barrier of fellow human beings who have chosen to stand.”
This one-man show will give different, meaningful perspectives on those who have made sacrifices.
Several students are working during the play and have expressed their excitement for seeing Lang’s performance. Christina Messore, an usher for the play, said, “I went to A Just War and Just Warriors seminar recently and I’m looking forward to seeing similarities and differences in ethics at war.” Messore hopes to see how those ethics can be inhibited at times.
Sydnie Vanevenhoven, another Merrimack student, plans on attending this play, “I am excited to learn about about the stories of veterans since I have many family members that are serving in the military.” Vanevenhoven believes “Beyond Glory” is a good fit Merrimack because it is important “to remember those who fought for our country, and to keep their memories alive.”
Vanevenhoven also says that having such a big name at Merrimack will give students an opportunity to go to a great event that they might not have a chance to go to.
Piatt calls the chance to see Lang on Merrimack’s stage a “rare privilege,” saying that it offers the student body and community “a chance to discover something new about themselves, and our world.”
Merrimack is hoping the theater will be packed for this show. The first one hundred students get their tickets free, after that it is only $5. For the public, tickets range from $10-$28.
