The Institute is a play about four young men in a military high school during the height of the Vietnam War. But anyone who has served in the armed forces will be able to relate to the choices these young men face as they near high school graduation in 1971.
Much as today, young Americans were being sent overseas to fight in 1971, to Vietnam specifically. Unlike today, there was a compulsory military draft for young men then.
So the choice of going into the armed services was being made for these men by their government. They could protest the war, go to jail rather than answer their draft call, or leave the country to avoid the draft. None of those were choices to be made lightly. Nor was the choice to serve in what was becoming an increasingly unpopular war at home.
What duty do you owe your country when you’re 18? Do you believe in the just war theory? What questions does service pose for you?
Those who have been in uniform have likely asked many of these questions and so will readily relate to what the main characters in The Institute face. This is a play they should see.
Veterans also can buy discounted tickets to shows, simply by entering the code NPC when visiting our ticket site, simply click here.