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The Tour….

Sponsored in part by Joe Battista, Artistic Director

13th Street Repertory Theatre

Now Playing...

Can't get to a live performance?

You can now watch “Vietnam…through my lens” in your own living room on

Amazon Prime Video

($4.99 to Rent, $7.99 to Buy.)

and

Vudu - Fandango

($3.99 to Rent, $6.99 to Buy)

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"Your performance and those stories are amazing.  I am so incredibly grateful they have been preserved forever."

          Noah Ehlert, film director, commercial photographer, philanthropist

               "You hit it out of the park."

                          Tom Lynott, retired NYPD Detective

"You have taken (the show) to a

new level...what a tribute to your

hard work and artistry."

    Paul Krouner,
         owner of Camp Schodack
                (a summer camp for kids)

"You sublime genius, Stu."

          Ricardo Cordero,

                  Director & Producer,

                           Sackett Street Films

"Fascinating, touching, inspiring, glued to my seat, first rate."

          Phyllis Erickson, corporate executive (retired)

               "WOW.  Beautifully done and very touching."

                         Ron Nordmann, former Wall Street analyst

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"A mixture of chuckles and tears."

          Jim Miller, attorney

"Great job.
      Enjoyed it tremendously."

         Harvey Bagg,
             Navy Veteran (Vietnam Era)

"What a beautiful piece of work.  You were wonderful.  The cinematography was amazing and what a powerful story you tell."

          Margaret Aylward,

                Public School Administrator

"A very thoughtful and thought-provoking movie."

          Sue Zeltman,

                 film aficionado  

"Fabulous job, Stu!  An impressive accomplishment."

          Carl Monego, Film Director & Producer

"It felt like you were right in the room with us!  Your experiences pack an emotional punch."

          Pam Lynott, Media Sales Executive

Dennis A. Starr – Executive Producer

In collaboration with

"A wonderful gift to veterans and their families... a remarkable and well-done work."
Proprietor of Memorial Hall Cinema and Arts, West Dover, Vermont.

Also available at no charge (with advertising) on AVOD platforms:

Plex, Tubi TV

Vudu TV, Comcast, Cox and Charter. 

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Tony Ceglio – Executive Producer/Director

John Carboni – Executive Producer/Technical Engineer

Where we are going...

Stay Tuned.....
More Bookings Coming in 2024!

Where we have been...

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Vietnam War Veterans Day, Friday, March 29, 2024

3 Owens Road, Croton Falls, New York.

A very special "thank you!"

From our team to yours...

Bram Lewis, Producing Director,

Owen Thompson, Artistic Director,

and Jessica Klee, Lighting Designer

and Board Operator.

We could not have had such an incredibly received production without the dedication and artistry of

The Schoolhouse Theater!

www.theschoolhousetheatre.org 

On Veterans Day, November 11, 2023
Stu Richel celebrated the day with the
Veterans Breakfast Club's annual "Vet-A-Thon".

 


 





The VBC hosted a 12-Hour Podcast
featuring Veterans from all branches of service speaking about their combat experiences.
WWII Vets included!
We were honored that the VBC asked Stu to
kick off the event with the first interview of the day.


Please enjoy the podcast by clicking here
(Stu's interview begins at 10:19). 
Stu shares insights into the creation of "Vietnam...through my lens"
as well as performances of scenes from the play.


Special thanks to Shaun Hall for his terrific hosting of this first-rate interview!

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Friday, October 13, 2023, at 12 Noon

 

 

 

 

 

Community Center
2201 University Drive

Lemont Furnace, Pennsylvania 

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Special Thanks to

Billie Jo Yuhaniak

Administrative Support Coordinator 

Office of the Chancellor,

Chad A. Long
Director of Student Affairs,


and their dedicated staff!

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Friday & Saturday, September 15th & 16th, 2023, at 7 PM

Cayuga Community College welcomed us to Auburn, New York!

 

 

Sponsored by

The Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 704,

and the NYS Council on the Arts.

 

 

 

 

 

A very special thanks goes out to 

Dr. Linda Townsend, Executive Co-Chair,

The Wall That Heals 2023, Auburn, New York 

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Wednesday, March 29 through Sunday, April 2, 2023 Metropolitan Playhouse

220 East 4th Street, Greenwich Village, NYC

It was amazing to be back where it all began!

In May of 2014, Alex Roe, the Producing Artistic Director of the

Obie Award Winning Metropolitan Playhouse

graciously offered his theatre for the first public reading of "Vietnam...through my lens".

That generosity helped to launch what has 

become a long and rewarding journey.

Thank You Alex!

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Saturday, September 17, 2022 at 7 PM

Paramount Theatre, Middletown, New York

 

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Michael J Martin


Maria Bruni, Director
   
Office of Economic and Community Development, City of Middletown

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Our Sponsors

Con Edison
Orange & Rockland,
Rockland Electric Company



Knights of Columbus, ​
Saint Titus Brandsma Council 16519,
Our Lady of Mount Carmel,
and The American Legion

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Sunday, May 29, 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

So great to be back home in New York City!

"My husband (who is a Vietnam veteran) and

I just saw your show today.  It was fantastic -

thank you so much!  We are still talking about it,

and much of it resonated with my husband."  

      - Julie Geisler, Audience Member 

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Tuesday, August 10, 2021

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Don't miss this lively conversation between

Stu and the charming hosts Mark, Ashley and Jeff.

We're sure you'll agree with their comments...

From Jeff, "Stu is nothing if not authentic!"

 

And following Stu's performance of

"Remembering Memorial Day and Father Divine" (at 24:15),

from Ashley, "Powerful. So powerful. The word choices. Setting the tone.

Transformative and transporting.

Oh my gosh, such a magnetism about him."

Also from the viewers...

"Your interview on TAL was terrific.  I learned so many interesting things about your life. 

Your performance of the Memorial Day story was very moving." 

Jane House, actor, director and translator of Italian plays. 

 "I watched the TAL video yesterday. It was great. I liked the balanced view and lively banter."

Steve Taylor, actor and technical director. 

"Heard you on the Tango Alpha Lima Podcast. 

I was moved by your story. I enjoyed all you had to say. Thank you friend and Brother."

Wade Adair, Military Veterans Peer Service Coordinator for

the Texas Veterans Commission in Beaumont, TX. 

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Please enjoy this

Special Zoom Performance

presented as part of

The Pandemic Players Series! 

Saturday, March 27, 2021

Stu Richel performed a selection of scenes from

"Vietnam...through my lens"

highlighted by videos from the Touring Production

and moderated by Bram Lewis, Artistic Director

of The Schoolhouse Theater.

Westchester County's longest running

professional nonprofit theater!

Special Thanks to 

Steve Taylor, Technical Director.

Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, 2020

Judith Estrine, Artistic Director of

Prism Stage Company,

our "Virtual Presenter", welcomed

Stu Richel and Linda S. Nelson

for a conversation about

"Vietnam...through my lens". 

During this Zoom Presentation,

Stu performed three scenes from the show,

including one that goes to the very heart of Memorial Day.

Moments of reflection...and laughter.

If you missed this Zoom Presentation,

you can still catch the

Three Performed Scenes,

filmed by Zillah Glory, Prism's Chief Experience Officer,

“Click here!”

Here’s just a view of the dozens of comments
from the Zoom Audience:
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"Thanks for bringing some meaning back to

Memorial Day.  

Holidays tend to become generic these days,

and it’s nice to remember that

they have origins and purpose."

“Beautiful, Stu...                         

Again and again...

                              BRAVO! BRAVO!!!”

“Wonderful! Can't wait to see the entire show.”

“Thank you, Stu...and thanks for your words and heart”

“Thank you for sharing your gift with us, Stu.  A treasure today.”

“Sources of Inspiration”

by Rob Asaro

April 22, 2020

In April, Stu Richel received an email from Rob Asaro, a wonderful actor/writer/producer. 

Rob had just set up an online platform, “Sources of Inspiration” and 

he wanted to interview Stu about "Vietnam…through my lens"!

 

During the interview, Stu performed two scenes from the show.

You can check out the full interview or just the opening scene or the closing scene.

A wonderful chance to get a feel for the style and content of the show.

 

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Thursday, November 14th & Friday, November 15th, 2019

 

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In partnership with the
University of Utah Veterans Support Center
at the historic Kingsbury Hall in Salt Lake City
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Stu Richel in a very

moving performance of

"The Infantryman"

Photographs courtesy of

Inga Maurine Newton

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Monday, November 11, 2019

It was an honor to share a very special

Veterans Day Performance at the

City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium

in North Carolina

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Welcome to CoMMA's beautiful double-screen theatre!

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Saturday, October 5, 2019

Mason Dixon V.F.W. Post 7234

Ocean View, Delaware

   

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It was an incredible experience to perform in

the shadow of

"The Wall That Heals",

the Traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial. 

Above - The beautiful

             VFW Canteen

Left - Stu Richel with 

         Commander Dean Levering

Thursday, November 8, 2018 at 7:30 PM

Horrabin Theatre at Western Illinois University

Macomb, Illinois

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They LOVED us in Illinois!

Don't take our word for it,

READ THIS REVIEW!

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Saturday, April 14, 2018

New Jersey Society,

Sons of the American Revolution

 Luncheon Presentation

at the Princeton Marriott at Forrestal

Princeton, New Jersey

 
Left - Stu Richel in the "Audience Welcome"

Above - Stu with Edward Glidden, Secretary of the New Jersey Society,
Sons of the American Revolution, and their Color Guard in uniform

Friday, February 16 through Sunday 18, 2018 at

Kayenta Arts Center, Ivins, Utah

 

 

Photographs courtesy of Michael Lee Stever

Jan Broberg, KAC Executive Director, with Touring Staff:

Linda S. Nelson, Amy Henault, Stu Richel and Michael Lee Stever

 

Vietnam...through my lens

was  performed on Sunday,

February 18, 2018, at the

Southern Utah Veterans Home as part of the Kayenta Arts Center Tour.

left to right:

Jan Broberg, KAC Executive Director,

Stu Richel, Actor/Playwright

Linda S. Nelson, Producer/Director

Post Show Talk Back at Kayenta Arts Center

 

 

 

 

Stu Richel, enjoying   the grounds of the Southern Utah Veterans Home, surrounded by the majestic red cliffs of Ivins, Utah

Sunday, October 29, 2017 at 3 PM

                          

Ocean County College

Toms River, New Jersey   

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Tuesday, September 26, 2017 at 7:30 PM

Guild Hall, John Drew Theater Lab

158 Main Street

East Hampton, New York

Sunday, July 23, 2017 at 2 PM

Fire Base Eagle

Inform - Educate - Honor

"Inspire and teach citizens through the veteran's story"

at the Historic Mishler Theatre

Altoona, Pennsylvania

                Fire Base Eagle Members (Back Row)                                                          Proceeds supported Fire Base Eagle, dedicated to building a sustainable,

                          Touring Team (Seated)                                                                             educational facility that honors the ground combat soldier in Vietnam.

Sunday, April 2, 2017

Western Connecticut Military Officers Association

Norwalk Inn & Conference Center

Norwalk, Connecticut

Board Member, Al Smith, Captain, U.S. Army, 1st Infantry Division, Vietnam,   

and Chapter President John F. Simonetti, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (Ret),      

with Stu Richel

Thursday, March 2, 2017

The Landings

a private community on Skidaway Island, outside of Savannah, Georgia

partial proceeds benefited the Landings Military Family Relief Fund

                     Stu Richel                                                                                                                    Dan Horan, Dot Colt, Stu Richel and

           Rehearsal at The Landings                                                                                                         Richard S. Colt, Major General,

                                                                                                                                                                       U. S. Army (Retired)

Monday, September 5, 2016

Special Labor Day Performance

Chenango River Theatre

Greene, New York

as part of the

“One Night Stands” Series

 

This performance inspired a standing ovation from the entire audience!

 

Friday, August 26, 2016

An Encore NYC Presentation

 "The Final Dress Rehearsal"

13th Street Repertory Theatre

50 West 13th Street, Manhattan

And The Tour Began...

 
What the Past Presenters have said...

"You had me from the first word." 

Bob Fischer, Sons of the American Revolution, following a luncheon performance in Princeton, New Jersey

“I heard nothing but positive response.  People thanking me for having the show here. It was clear that a number of attendees were here because the subject was Vietnam and that they’d never been here before.” … “You guys were easy to work with.  Normally we’re working with the artist…often not really well-equipped to deal with the tech.  That was a breeze with you guys"

— Bill Lelbach

Artistic & Managing Director

Chenango River Theatre, Greene, New York

“The show was fabulous!  You (Stu) were superb. Amy (Stage Manager), you were such a pleasure to work with.  Thanks to all of you for a very lovely evening.  I'll remember it as one of the best experiences for our members.”

— Denise Joy

Club Operations and Event Coordinator

The Landings Club, Skidaway Island, Georgia

"The professionalism that all of you showed, makes this show unique in explaining history through one man's journey.  Stu's presentation was flawless, and I'm sure to the veterans in the audience, it brought back their own experiences.  You have painstakingly developed and brought to the stage something that many can't talk about as freely as Stu."

– George Montgomery, Founder, Fire Base Eagle

A Taste of the New York City Production

Vietnam…through my lens

premiered to rave reviews at

the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre in

New York City in November of 2014.

"I was thoroughly impressed with the production...

a first-rate job of performing and staging”

- Loretta Swit, Actor, Artist, Activist

"in his simple storytelling style, Stu can make the ordinary seem extraordinary and the everyday seem heroic. His words and pictures bring to life a palpable sense of what the country’s pulse was at the time of Vietnam."  - David Lally, NY Indie Theatre Now.
http://nytheaternow.com/Content/Article/2014-11-11-vietnamthrough-my-lens

"Director Linda S. Nelson's delicate and intimate treatment of veteran actor and true American Veteran Stu Richel will long be remembered!  Vietnam ... through my lens touches and jars the heart!"
- Grace Pettijohn,
Actor & President of Pettijohn Productions

"It is real, honest, moving and a particularly American work."

- Constance Rodgers, Front Row Center

http://thefrontrowcenter.com/2014/11/vietnam-through-my-lens/

 

“Complemented by Richel's own photographs of the era,

his lens puts a face on the American soldier,

while showcasing his skill in character acting.”

- Deborah Greenhut, Playwright/Princeton Research Forum.

http://artvalueseducation.blogspot.com/2014/11/war-is-unkind-but-sorting-our-memories.html.

"Richel has written and performs an absolutely engaging, realistic yet primarilylight-hearted, view of his participation in a war that tore not only Viet Nam, but this country, to shreds...(he) tells a great tale, no matter what your age."

- Karen D’Onofrio, OffBway Blog http://www.eljnyc.com/offbway.html

Now you can bring this personal story of a combat journalist and photographer to your local venue!  Performed by the playwright himself, Stu Richel, Vietnam...through my lens is punctuated by projected video montages created for the New York production by film maker Michael Lee Stever.  This highly praised show can now be brought to your Performing Arts Center, Civic Center, Regional or Community Theatre, University or College!
 
Sometimes poignant, sometimes lighthearted, always thought provoking, this one-man play is not a tale of guts and glory.  Nor is it a political statement.  It is simply one guy’s journey, recounted with heart and humor.  The odd path by which Stu ended up in Vietnam, what he did over there, and the ways in which that service has colored his life back here in The States.  It is one soldier, sharing his memories, photos and reflections.  
 
The show has been a hit with young and old alike, and equally appealing to men and women.  Its pathos and balance have touched the anti-war hippie of the 60s, veterans and their families…and all sorts of people in between.  Folks have especially enjoyed the moments in which Stu interacts with the audience; after all, it is that kind of informal, living room conversation.
 
For more information regarding
Vietnam…through my lens,
including scheduling, availability, technical requirements 
and rates, please contact Linda, LSNelson Productions,
at linda@vietnamthroughmylens.com
Special rates may be available for performances
benefiting veterans’ organizations.

Production Photographs by Michael Lee Stever.

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