The Things They Carried

Produced by The History Theater
Written by Tim O’Brien, adapted for the stage by Jim Stowell

“Jim Stowell is back for a United Solo encore performance of ‘The Things They Carried,’ his one-man show based on Tim O’Brien’s book of the same name. Mr. Stowell is a great American storyteller. He has a way of telling a story and letting us into everything he sees. We feel as if we are witnessing the action ourselves. The men from O’Brien’s book all come into great three-dimensional visibility as he makes them live and breathe onstage. The audience’s standing ovation and exclamations as Mr. Stowell ended the show spoke to the nerve he touched in our American psyches. His rendition of ‘The Things They Carried’ needs to be shown again and again.” (United Solo Theatre Festival, November 21, 2019)

“In 1990, The New York Times called Tim O’Brien’s ‘The Things They Carried,’ ‘essential fiction about Vietnam…moving beyond the horror to examine with sensitivity and insight the nature of courage and fear…’ Jim Stowell’s adaptation, however, accomplishes this and considerably more. His stunning performance in tandem with incisive writing brings O’Brien’s story to explicit, harrowing life.” (United Solo Theatre Festival, November 21, 2019)

“A story of tragedy, loss, zero happy endings, a dose of humor and in spite of it all, hope.” “Masterful and fearless.” Tim performed by David Sittler. (The Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota, FL March 24, 2018)

“Engaging, evocative and highly recommended.” Performed by Jim Stowell. (The Minnesota Fringe Festival, Minneapolis Star Tribune August, 2018)

“The production is a stirring, emotional and indeed, a frightening one, yethighly recommended.” Directed by Jim Stowell. (The Lied Center in Lincoln, NE. November 5, 2015)

“Superb!” Tim performed by Stephen D’ Ambrose. (Premiere at The History Theater, St. Paul, MN. March 15, 2014)

This play has had two lives. Version one, premiered at The History Theater, Saint Paul, MN on March 14th, 2014. Directed by Leah Cooper and staring Stephen D’Ambrose. This version of the play had a full set, sound effects, (mortar fire, a helicopter, a grenade exploding and a few more.) music and an intermission. 

Version two runs 90 minutes and there is no intermission. No music and no sound effects. The set is one old wooden kitchen chair, one wooden stool. I first performed this version at the United Solo Theatre Festival in New York City in 2018.

I was acting in a play at The History and Stephen was also in the play. I had recently reread The Things They Carried and as always, I was moved. Stephen and I were talking and taking off our make up and I mentioned the book and said I would love to adapt the book as a one-man play and if I did, how would he like to play that one man? Being an actor of course he said, “Sure.’ I contacted my agent and she looked into my acquiring the rights to adapt the book to the stage. A couple weeks later she calls me back and tells me someone else already has the rights, but would I like to be on the waiting list. I said, “Sure.” Two years later my agent contacts me and tells me my number has come up. Do I still want to do it? I said, “Yes!” I had 18 months to have a production or a contract for a production or I lose the rights. I had to write the play and find a production in 18 months or less.  Ron Peluso at The History came to my rescue. He already had a play signed up for a time that would work for me but Ron chose to double up and produced the other play and my play at the same time. The other play on one night and my play the next night. Like that. Without Ron taking this extraordinary step, I would have lost the rights to the book. 

I wrote the play but for the first time I did not act in it. I did this on purpose because I had never done it before and after roughly 28 year’s I thought it was time I try it. I promised myself I would not be that bad playwright. I don’t think I was. Sometimes, though, it drove me crazy. Not because Stephen was doing a bad job, no, Stephen did a great job. So was Leah. I just had a powerful urge to be out there, onstage. The audiences loved Stephen’s work. I would sit and watch and sometimes, I swear, I could hear the audience listening. The silences during the show were beautiful.    

Adapting the book was a master class in writing. I studied Tim O’Brien in detail for months and every day I learned more about writing. Performing the play is physically and emotionally exhausting. I found it similar to playing the lead role in a Shakespeare tragedy. When the performance is over you are empty.