A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

American Soldiers

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  2w, 3m

Carlo Colletti Sr. is the patriarch of a politically prominent Long Island family. He is also a Vietnam Veteran, a widower, a heavy-drinker, binge eater, and has pretty much lost the respect of his son, Carlo Jr., an assemblyman and Congressional candidate, and his brash and hard-partying daughter, …

American Soldiers

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    2w, 3m
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary
Carlo Colletti Sr. is the patriarch of a politically prominent Long Island family. He is also a Vietnam Veteran, a widower, a heavy-drinker, binge eater, and has pretty much lost the respect of his son, Carlo Jr., an assemblyman and Congressional candidate, and his brash and hard-partying daughter, Marie. When his other daughter, Angela, an Army veteran, returns from the Middle East for an uneasy homecoming, Carlo Sr. finds himself struggling to hold the family together, as Angela seems to be declaring war.

Angela, emotionally scarred from her military service, now sees her family, liberal politicians and "modern" Catholics who fight for liberal causes, as nothing more than cogs in a machine of conformity whose morals make no sense and perpetuate dangerous myths.

The force of her rebellion is set against the determination of her father and his commitment to not only holding the family together, but to forcing her to appropriately deal with, what he calls, "her issues." Through their tug of war, long-buried resentments and scars are revealed, forcing Carlo Sr. to confront painful memories which he believed were very much in the past.

Now Carlo Sr. has one last chance to save his daughter, his family, and his self-respect as he and Angela battle each other in, what she calls, "the same fight, generation after generation."
CARLO COLLETTI SR. – Early sixties, burnt-out, slightly overweight, hard drinking, ex-cop and Vietnam Veteran. Basically a good guy but can be abrasive at times as he's struggling with being a widower and his eldest daughter returning from serving a traumatic tour in Iraq.

ANGELA COLLETTI РLate twenties, was once an idealistic young woman with political aspirations, but she enlisted in the Army, lost a fiance̩, and witnessed many awful incidents, leaving her scarred. Her experiences have left her unable to believe in anything she believed in before she left.

CARLO COLLETTI JR. (JUNIOR) – Early thirties, handsome, idealistic young politician. Struggles with being a Democrat in a heavy Republican area. Good family man who is just trying to keep his family together because he believes his father no longer can.

MARIE COLLETTI – Early twenties, youngest of the Colletti family. A pretty, party girl who has been stuck watching her father's slow deterioration after her mother's death. Her struggles are enhanced by Angela's return home, which only causes her father more stress.

JONATHAN "HUTCH" HUTCHINSON – Late twenties, affable "town drunk" and ne'er do well. He's Angela's ex-boyfriend and the only one who tried to talk her out of enlisting years back. He's a bit of a Nihilist and loves to pretend to be stupid while he criticizes the "establishment" on Long Island.
  • Time Period 1980s, 1970s
  • Cautions
    • Alcohol
    • Mild Adult Themes

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

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Authors

Matt Morillo

Matt Morillo is a Long Island-born playwright, filmmaker and humorist who has made quite a splash in the world of independent theater and film. After graduating film school, he made his debut with his feature, The Pretenders, an award-winning romantic comedy. His subsequent s ...

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