The Washington Center for the Performing Arts has become a classroom of sorts for the teens appearing in the Aiken Community Playhouse Youth Wing's upcoming production of M*A*S*H.
"Most of these kids had never heard of the Korean War," said director Bob Franklin, who has used the play to teach them about a conflict that has often been called the Forgotten War.
The war provides the backdrop for the play about a group of Army medical personnel. Unlike the immensely popular television show of the same name, the play more closely resembles the 1970 Robert Altman film and is a dark comedy.
Because nearly 30 teens are involved in the show, it underwent a heavy sanitization. The original play contains numerous adult situations and language inappropriate for the cast members, Mr. Franklin said. As a result, some of the scenes lose their edge and some meaning.
Even with the history lessons for his actors, Mr. Franklin said, the play is not really about the Korean War or any war, but rather about how people deal with difficult situations.
"The thing that Hawkeye and Duke despise about Hoolihan is that she can't feel," he said. "When they are operating on kids, all she cares about is doing things the right way."
M*A*S*H will be staged at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and March 6, 7 and 8, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 2. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students and $6 for children 12 and younger. For more information, call (803) 648-1438 or visit www.aikencommunityplayhouse.com
Reach Charmain Brackett at czbrackett@hotmail.com.
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