Remembering fallen firefigfhters

Mike Toscano still gets all choked up whenever he recalls the eulogies he had to give for fallen firefighters while serving as a lieutenant in Chicago. He also remembers being ordered to go to New York immediately after two planes hit the World Trade Center towers Sept. 11, 2001 in New York City. His orders were canceled later that day, Toscano says, when the authorities "switched from rescue to recovery" of the bodies.

Patty Monaco says she "can still remember" being glued to the television that day, wanting to help the victims, and feeling "frustrated" because there was nothing she could do.

Toscano's and Monaco's emotions have been revived by the play "The Guys," a fictionalized account of the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack. The play will be presented Sept. 15, 16, 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the OffCenter, at Orcas Center.

Toscano, a firefighter/Emergency Medical Technician with the Orcas Island Fire Department, plays a captain who would have been at the towers that morning if he hadn't had a prior engagement. Racked with guilt because he survived, and because he was unable to help his colleagues, the captain was unable to deal with his emotions or talk about the tragedy.

Monaco, a veteran performer on the Orcas Center stage, portrays a journalist who was dealing with her own frustrations over being unable to help either the victims or the survivors. She says the character she plays "resonates with me."

Through their very deep and moving dialogue, the two characters are able to overcome their emotional blocks, and therefore make a difference.

Toscano and Monaco comprise the entire speaking cast of this full-length play which requires the two actors to memorize many lines.

Local firefigters will also appear in the play, but only as a "ghostly" background, and at the beginning of the show. Proceeds will go to the Orcas Island Fire Department, according to Theater Manager Deborah Sparks. "It's to acknowledge and honor them for being available in emergencies," Sparks said.

The play was first performed in New York City. It was written by Anne Nelson, a lawyer who was having her own difficulties dealing with the aftermath of Sept. 11.

The Orcas Center show is directed by Steve Henigson, but it was Sparks who made the decision to perform "The Guys."

Tickets are $12 for members and $15 for non-members. They're available at the Orcas Center box office. Call 376-ACT1.

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