The Tug of War

by David Rambo

The judgment of an untested president is all that stands between us and WWIII. As Soviet nuclear missiles move ever closer to Cuba, President John F. Kennedy must chart a course between conflicting counsel and unparalleled emotional stakes to prevent nuclear annihilation. The newly-minted U.S. President is put to the ultimate test in this riveting original commission from playwright David Rambo (Empire, C.S.I.)

Includes a panel discussion about the Cuban Missile Crisis with playwright David Rambo; Bob Stern, the past president of the LA-based Center on Governmental Studies; Richard Anderson, a Professor of Political Science at UCLA and former CIA analyst; and Geoff Cowan, a University Professor at USC.

An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast production
Matthew Arkin as Llewellyn Thompson, First Reporter
Hugo Armstrong as Lyndon Johnson, Anatoly Dobrynin
Seamus Dever as Robert McNamara
Matthew Floyd Miller as Robert F. Kennedy
James Morrison as John McCone, TV Floor Manager
David Selby as Dean Rusk
Rich Sommer as McGeorge Bundy
Josh Stamberg as John F. Kennedy
Nick Toren as Ted Sorenson, Second Reporter, General Curtis LeMay
John Vickery as Nikita Khrushchev, General Taylor
Jules Willcox as Jackie Kennedy, Mrs. Lincoln, Third Reporter

Directed by Brian Kite and recorded live in performance at UCLA's James Bridges Theater in May 2017.

Sound Effects Artist, Aaron Lyons. Production Manager, Katie Friesen. Music Supervisor, Ronn Lipkin. Assistant to the Director, Michelle Gong. Historical Research, Nick Fanego. Associate Producer, Anna Lyse Erikson. Editor, Mitchell Lindskoog. Recording Engineer, Sound Designer, and Mixer, Mark Holden for The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood

Audio CD

Published August 15, 2017

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish there had been more lead in. The play just jumps right in. As someone who wasn't alive at this time, I wanted more about the political environment in the US, Cuba, Soviet Union, and Berlin. There is talk of the Berlin wall being built but I didn't understand the connection to the Cuban missile crisis.

Overall this was good. Without visuals it was hard to follow to was speaking most of the time. Well acted and the production quality is high. I recommend this for those who like theatre and non-fiction.