Our Tomorrow
by p. m. strain

Commissioned by:
Commonweal Theatre Company
Staged reading in 2006

First Production:
Zona Gale Theatre
Portage Center for the Arts
Portage, WI
May, 2009
Scenic Design by Jimmy Ray Ward
Costume Design by Barbara Church
Lighting Design by Patrick M. Strain

Cast:
1 man and 1 woman

Roles:
Arlen Aldridge, USMC and Muriel's husband
Morley, Arlen's college roommate and fellow USMC
Fritz, Arlen's fellow USMC

Muriel Aldridge, Arlen's wife
Angela, Muriel's sister
Linda Jane, Muriel's friend
Anne Marie (voiced by Muriel), Arlen and Muriel's daughter

Time and Place:
Sept. 1942 - Dec. 1944; Lanesboro and Minneapolis, MN and the Pacific Theatre of WW II

Genre:
Drama

Synopsis:
Prior to Arlen Aldridge, a U.S.M.C. officer, shipping out for the Pacific, he and his wife, Muriel, take two maps of the Pacific and assign song titles to the different island chains, so that she will know his location by the songs he mentions. During the next two years, their letters, the music they share and their commitment to each other is what holds their marriage together. Their story, and the stories of four additional couples, unfolds through the conversation that is their letters, as well as scenes that are their imagination. Arlen faces military action, losses of fellow Marines, and separation from his wife and newborn daughter. Muriel faces single parenthood, the losses of friends and family and the ongoing fear that she will never see her husband again. Inspired by the real life experiences of a couple from Lanesboro, MN, in the end, Arlen and Muriel are different people, stronger and wiser, yet humble and more committed to each other than ever.

READ THE FIRST TEN PAGES - CLICK HERE

Production Notes:
So this is about the writing of the play. For more about the first full production, which I directed, please see my Directing Page on this show. That is where I will also discuss the presentation show.

History of the process:
In 2003, I was designing the scenery for the Commonweal Theatre Company's production of The Master Builder. I was talking with Eric Bunge, founder of the company, and asked him if I were to begin working on a play, what topic would the theatre be interested in. He told me the story of how a local couple had come to see 1940's Radio Hour just a couple months prior, and they had shared how before he had shipped out to the Pacific, they took two maps of the Pacific and wrote titles of songs by different island chains, so that when he wrote back and mentioned a particular song, she would know where he was. Eric thought that would make a wonderful musical, asked if I would be interested in pursuing that, and that began my journey. I met with the couple, gathered information, they shared some of their letters, I boned up on my WW II history, and shortly thereafter the Commonweal officially commissioned me to write the play as a part of their New Play Series. Between then and 2006, I went to Lanesboro several times to do closed readings with the core company, and in 2006 they staged a reading. All this time the play was envisioned as a musical, with songs from the late '30's and early '40's. Following the reading, the CTC decided not to pursue a production, in part (I like to think anyway) because of the endeavor to build a new theatre the following year they did not produce any new plays. So I was on my own with the script - with the feeling (and feedback from the reading) that the music was not working to my benefit. The University of Wisconsin held a Wisconsin Wrights contest with a submission deadline in January of 2007, so I hastily removed the songs, stitched the scenes together and submitted the play. I made the top 10 in that contest, but not the final 3, much to the chagrin of my wife, who really wanted to meet Bradley Whitford (we are big West Wing fans) who was serving as the final judge. So...the play sat on the shelf until the fall of 2008, when buoyed by the acting talents of a local woman who performed with our Young People's Theatre, I decided to pursue a production of my own. So, about 8 drafts later, we are where we are.

Thoughts on the show:
This show, despite being set in war time, is not a war story, it's a love story. It is to me, all about the love of two people and how that not only survives, but thrives, in the face of adversity with the aid of Faith. While talking with the couple on whom this show is based, several things hit me. First, they insisted that their story was not very special, and in one sense they are right - it is the story of almost everyone in the history of the world who's had a loved one go off to war and wait patiently and lovingly for them to return. But in another sense, they are very wrong - it is a unique story and worthy to be lifted up, because far too often war has secondary casualties in the lives of the families at home. Second, this story will not be repeated in modern times. In a world where CNN is present for every military action (or most, anyway) and cell phones with video are ubiquitous, the idea of needing to hide where the military is by way of a coded letter that won't be delivered for weeks is quaint to say the least. Lastly, it is the love story of two people who change dramatically over the course of the play. He is changed (perhaps obviously) as a member of the Armed Forces in the epic war of modern times. She is changed (perhaps less obviously) by being a single mother in a uniquely stressful environment - that of not knowing if she will continue on as a single parent in perpetuity. I loved the production, got good feedback and wished I could convince others of the beautiful simplicity of this story.

 

For inquiries about performance royalties for this script, please e-mail me.