Play at Methodist University Commemorates 9/11

Written 12 weeks after the terrorists attacks, journalist Anne Nelson’s, The Guys was among one of the first responses to September 11 in 2001. The Methodist University Theater will be performing The Guys in Reeves Auditorium on September 30 and October 1 at 8 pm and October 2 at 2 pm to commemorate the ten year anniversary of the day that changed the United States.

“This is the tenth year afterwards; it seemed right and it seemed like the right time to do it,” said Evan Bridenstine, Associate Professor of Theater at Methodist University and Director of the play.  

The Guys is representative of the eight firefighters the captain lost and takes place 12 days after the terrorists’ attacks. The play consists of two characters, “Joan” and “the captain,” and “Joan” is Nelson’s alter ego on stage.

Nelson wrote this play after helping the captain of Ladder 60 write eight eulogies for the men he lost on September 11. As a journalist, Nelson had never written a play before, but she felt that an article for this captain’s story was just not enough, so over slightly more than a week’s time, she transformed this article into a play.

In the play, one of the eulogies is delivered, however, the audience gets to hear four that were written. The play takes place over the course of an afternoon into the evening and moves through three to four various places in memory, all within one scenic environment.

One of the hardships conveyed in the play is the survivor guilt that the captain felt after losing eight of his men, but despite this, there is humor in the midst of the grief.

Tickets for the play will be 10 dollars for adults, 7 dollars for seniors and students 12 years of age or older, 4 dollars for children, and free for the Methodist University community.