Campbell drama touches Harnett County veterans

Vietnam veteran John L. Finger said that seeing the Campbell University production of the Vietnam drama, “A Piece of my Heart,” brought back a flood of memories.”Watching the play was almost like being there again,” said the veteran of three tours in Vietnam.Finger, who is president of the Harnett County Veterans Council and senior vice commander of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Chapter 74, along with World War II veteran Tom McKinney, Retired Master Sergeant Jerry Morris, Army veteran Cynthia Steisslinger and Campbell alumna, Joanne Cresswell, adjutant to the DAV chapter, were on hand recently to present a certificate of appreciation from the chapter to the show’s cast and crew.”We appreciate the attention you have focused on the Vietnam War era through this play,” said Finger. “We don’t want Americans to forget the sacrifices our veterans made.”Written by Shirley Lauro, “A Piece of my Heart,” is about the experiences of five young nurses in the center of the Vietnam conflict. The audience is given a sense of each woman’s identity before and after her tour. The play ends as each leaves a personal token at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C.Retired Master Sergeant Jerry Morris said the scene at the memorial was especially moving to him. “I’ve talked to a lot of soldiers at that wall,” he said. “It’s amazing how these students were able to capture the spirit of people who participated in a war that happened long before they were even born.”Receiving the certificates of appreciation were Lydia Butler, Andrea Alexander, Jason Adams, Sasha Fuller, Melissa Whilden, Matt Weber, Nondi Breneman, Jeff Enoch, Mandy Holmes, Jessi Ferguson, Mike Giles, Shandorsay Tripp, Beth Walker and alumna Jamie Woolery.”We did this play for the veterans,” said Theatre Arts major Nondi Breneman of Apex, N.C. “We got on stage every night and performed for them. It’s really an honor that they would recognize us in this way.”Directed by Keith Hight, technical director of Campbell University’s Theatre Arts Department, “A Piece of my Heart” was presented Feb. 16-17 and Feb. 22-24.A memento of the set representing part of the Vietnam Memorial wall will be permanently mounted in the workshop of the Theatre Arts Department to commemorate the cast and crew of the play.Jessi Ferguson, Jamie Woolery, Ashleigh Adamson, Melissa Whilden, Nondi Breneman, Sasha Fuller, Mike Giles and Matt Weber played lead roles in the drama.Photo Copy: The cast and crew of the Vietnam drama, “A Piece of my Heart,” were recognized recently by the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 74. First row, from left, veteran Jerry Morris, Lydia Butler, Andrea Alexander, Jason Adams, Sasha Fuller, Melissa Whilden and Matt Weber. Second row, from left, veteran Tom McKinney, Professor Keith Hight, Nondi Breneman, Jeff Enoch, Mandy Holmes, Jessi Ferguson, Mike Giles, Shandorsay Tripp, Beth Walker, Jamie Woolery, and Joanne Creswell, adjutant to the Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 74.

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