Help Bring PVT. Wars to Life at Circle Theater Festival!
Donation protected
Hey there!
This is one of the co-directors of PVT. Wars, Christopher Cavazza. We are thrilled to announce that our cast, featuring actors Shaun Memmel, Zachary Mailhot, as well as myself, recently received the honor of being chosen by the RJ Theatre Company to be one of the two 90-minute full-length productions featured at the Circle Theater Festival in New York City at the Flea Theatre. We will be producing PVT. Wars, as previously mentioned, which will be directed by both myself and my longtime friend, Michael Mekus.
Here's a video to get to know the cast and directors!
PVT. Wars is an underseen dark-comedy written by James McClure about three former GIs that fought in the Vietnam War and are now all staying in a VA hospital, finding themselves unable to properly reintegrate into society after their time overseas. These three characters are distinctly unique, all finding themselves dealing with very different obstacles and problems (or, “private wars”) hampering their progress en route to their possible return to society. What takes place through the play is often shockingly funny and, at times, emotionally poignant.
As longtime best friends, the play has particular meaning for the four of us that will make this production particularly special. For director Michael Mekus, PVT. Wars was one of the first notable pieces of theatre he ever engaged with, dating back to his freshman year in High School, when he competed in the Florida State Thespians with a scene from the show; it helped to foster his early love for the arts and theatre and since then, led Michael to go on to study and earn a degree in Musical Theatre at Point Park University and then move to New York City, to continue pursuing the arts.
For myself, Zach, and Shaun, we would go onto star in a production of PVT. Wars that was chosen for us specifically in high school; it was an instant hit and when we took it to Thespians competition, we became the first one act in their school’s history to be chosen to showcase at the State Thespians level, where it was, again, a massive success. And it would help develop what is now a ten year brotherhood.
Since then, I have moved to New York City and continue to pursue theatre professionally, currently training at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Shaun has starred in multiple professional productions regionally across Tampa Bay and is preparing to move to New York City. Zachary has taken a less traditional path towards pursuing the arts; he currently resides in Orlando, working at the Orlando Science Center, where he writes, directs, and performs in short science related productions to both entertain and educate people of all ages.
Getting chosen to have an off-Broadway play produced with a three-month run is a prestigious honor, but it also comes with large expenses; creating robust and impressive theatre takes a village and the fees that will go into reuniting my three best friends and I, so that we can create a memorable theatrical experience will be lofty, totaling to around roughly $8,500. This will include securing the performance rights for PVT. Wars, as well as costumes, props, set-pieces, in addition to the festival fees and cost of renting the space for each performance, and potentially, the plane tickets for Shaun and Zach, who will have to fly up multiple weekends in order to be able to perform the production.
We understand that this is a huge ask and appreciate any and every dollar that you would be able to contribute, but we do not expect it at all. But if you are able to donate, please understand that it would be going towards helping four longtime friends follow their dreams and produce a piece of theatre in New York City that is very special and meaningful to all of us. Even if you cannot donate, simply sharing this GoFundMe and helping to boost its visibility so that others can learn about our production and potentially donate or purchase tickets would also be unbelievably helpful. The continued support means the world to our team.
Thank you so much and we hope to see you all at PVT. Wars very soon!
To purchase tickets to the production:
Show dates are:
September 7th at 2:30
September 21st at 2:30
October 5th at 2:30
October 12th at 2:30
October 26th at 2:30
November 2nd at 2:30
Organizer
Chris Cavazza
Organizer
New York, NY