HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE -- With the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks hanging heavy on calendars across America, many organizations and communities are looking for a way to commemorate the grievous events of that day.
In Hot Springs Village, one woman has poured her heart, time and dollars into making sure the date does not pass unnoticed, and that the fallen are honored.
Judy Corwin heard of the Anne Nelson play "The Guys" several years ago. Its story tells of a New York City fire captain who faces the task of writing eulogies for the eight men he lost when the World Trade Center collapsed. It's based on the author's actual experiences helping him with those writings, although all names have been changed.
Corwin said offering the play for free "will be my gift to the Village in remembering the 15th anniversary of that terrible day." The single performance will be at 2 p.m. Sept. 11 in the Coronado Community Center.
She will portray the author, called Joan in the play, and HSV resident Jack Iafrate will take the role of Nick, the fire captain.
On the center's intimate stage, the simple set will consist of only a kitchen table and two pub chairs, where the two begin to know each other, and honor the eight men who died, through candid and powerful dialogue.
First performed by Sigourney Weaver and Bill Murray in 2001 at the off-Broadway theater The Flea, Weaver reprised the role in 2002, joining Anthony LaPaglia for a film version.
Corwin said of the author, "She writes beautifully," and thinks the play's words will allow audiences to feel as if they know the eight firefighters.
Naturally woven in are funny moments taking place between the two characters, mirroring the humor that people often turn to when dealing with any tragic event.
The script definitely served to remind both actors of their own personal lives on Sept. 11, 2001. Iafrate recalled seeing the second plane hit on a morning news show and asking aloud, "Is that happening?"
Corwin also sat in disbelief in front of her television. Years prior, she and her husband had lived in New Jersey, and with his company, he had installed the emergency antennas on top of the two towers. She said, "We watched when the first tower fell, and we saw those antennas coming down with the rest of the building."
She also shared that her former neighbor in the Village lost a son in the towers that day, and some seven years later, was able to get DNA remains from the site. Corwin said, "It could have been any of our sons," noting that it wasn't just the people of New York who were affected -- all Americans became intertwined in a complicated grief that day.
The story reaches a deep place for Iafrate. He is a former volunteer fireman, and knows what a strong bond the play's captain must have had with his men. He said, "It's very moving, particularly at the end -- it gets to me every time."
He said he feels the story is important, as it addresses the aftermath of those events. He pointed out that U.S. residents younger than 20 wouldn't really be able to remember that day, and that 9/11 is "something we shouldn't forget."
Although the play is 90 minutes, Iafrate said the time goes by quickly. There will be a 15-minute intermission, so theatergoers can stretch their legs.
Play attendees will be able to support local firefighters that day, with voluntary contributions to the Hot Springs Village Fire Department being accepted inside the CCC.
Though admission is free, vouchers will be needed to enter. They can be obtained on weekdays at either the Coronado Center office from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., or the Ponce de Leon Center box office from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. If seats remain, vouchers will be available at the door.
Both actors said their efforts will be successful if the audience is touched by the performance, and they encourage both Village residents and those in outlying communities to come together and commemorate America's strength through adversity on that fateful day.
Local on 08/30/2016