EAST LAKEVIEW — War is ugly, but a new comedy show will focus on its lighter side.
"Stars and Gripes" stars seven veterans, who will share stories of life overseas, training experiences and the aftermath of returning home.
"The voice of veterans is a voice that's been looked over, but not everyone knows anyone who served. This is a good chance for someone like that to come out and get a glimpse into the veteran's point of view," said the show's creator, Cam Dupre.
The show opens May 1 at The Public House Theatre, 3914 N. Clark St. and runs at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through May 30. The 50-minute show is $15, but free for veterans.
Ariel Cheung discusses how the show got started:
Dupre, a 26-year-old Wrigleyville resident, said he started toying with the idea of a military-based comedy show in 2011, after serving four years in the Marine Corps, including deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But it was meeting another veteran-turned-comedian in November that "lit a fire" under him, Dupre said. Before long, he'd met enough veterans to form The Veterans of Comedy troupe.
"I never thought I could find an entire cast, but just because of networking, I really think I got lucky. Everyone in the cast has deployed, and that's such a unique and valuable thing for this show," Dupre said.
The show will include stories of a soldier who spent 19 years in basic training and a man who risked his life to call his ailing grandmother. The cast will discuss how PTSD affects them and tough questions like whether they killed anyone while at war.
"We're pretty brutally honest. The audience can expect to see some issues addressed that maybe are slightly taboo — some issues that cause friction between civilians and military personnel because there's misunderstanding between those two groups," Dupre said.
The strong bond between veterans not only made for a more cohesive ensemble, but also made Dupre feel a responsibility to make the show about more than just himself. After his time in the Marine Corps, Dupre said he felt a duty to his fallen comrades to enjoy life after war.
"I lost nine brothers out there who never even got to take the first step into doing what they really want to do. I do have a chance, and I'm not going to let it go to waste," Dupre said.
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