DUBLIN, Ohio — The Abbey Theater of Dublin is setting the stage once more for a world premiere play from a central Ohio playwright.
"The Drums of War" tells the harrowing story of the lead up to the United States' involvement in the second World War.
"It's about the coming together of the country and the building of the alliance that confronted Germany and Japan," explained playwright Herb Brown. "It's important, I think, because that was really dangerous. Germany had overtaken all of continental Europe and, had the wrong decisions been made, it would be a very different world."
Brown wrote the play intending to bring more attention to Harry Hopkins, an advisor to Franklin Roosevelt and the man who acted as liaison between the president and his counterparts in Great Britain and the Soviet Union.
"I think [Hopkins] is the most important, unknown character in American history," said Brown. "He got to [Churchill and Stalin] the material that they need to get through the darkest moments."
"These are important stories to be told so that we don't repeat these same miscues in the future," said Joe Bishara, theater supervisor at The Abbey Theater as well as the director of this all-new production. "
"History, as they say, is prologue," Brown observed. "The country was deeply divided the moment this play opens; I think that the country is, maybe, just as divided today."
"The Drums of War" marks the third consecutive original work from Brown to have its premiere at The Abbey Theater.
“Herb finds this way to make history feel human," praised Bishara.
Bishara pointed out that, not only is the playwright from central Ohio, the rest of the cast and crew are all local artists who, in his opinion, could go "toe-to-toe" with anyone in the country.
With the confidence of the famous leaders at the center of this play, Bishara assured, “The state of theater in central Ohio is strong.”
"The Drums of War" runs Jan. 19-28 at the Abbey Theater of Dublin. For showtimes and ticket information, just visit: https://dublinohiousa.gov/abbey-theater/.