Presented by The Combat Hippies

A Production of The First National Veterans Theater Festival
Approximately 70 minutes; audience talkback following

Amal, “hope” in Arabic, is a theater/spoken word piece written and performed by the Combat Hippies, an ensemble of Puerto Rican veterans of the Iraq War, and was developed and directed by award winning theater artist Teo Castellanos. It delves into the impact of war on both combatants and noncombatants as people of color, shares experiences of veteran’s adjustment to life after war, as well as that of refugees and asylum seekers from war-torn countries. The piece will be influenced by an aesthetic we are calling “Afro Rican Punk.”

... “Amal” really resonates with a unique neo-urban-intelligent tone, rhythm and flow. The soundtrack is dope, as is the choreography and synergy between Torres and Arriaga.
~ J.J. Colagrande, The Jitney