Photos & Review by Joe Contreras, Latin Life Denver Media (see photo gallery below)

Do you think I should stop having kids after 35? asked a friend. Yes, of course, was the reply, 35 kids is enough. Another friend quipped, “I told my husband I needed a new bra and he responded, why? you don’t have anything to put in them. I told him, well, you wear briefs don’t you?

It was as funny as it was poignant. Silly as it was sad.

From left to right, Dianne Nino, Loy Torrez, Dolores Moya-The Burrito Supremes

The play is quite hilarious. Set in the in the late 1960’s it’s part variety show with skits from the then popular hit show ‘Laugh In
and part karaoke with a Mowtown review of songs of the day, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson and several others.

Writer/Director Ricardo La Fore as Gunnery Sgt. Emmitt Lamar Johnson III

Playwright & Director Ricardo LaFore fought back emotions when he stepped on stage to introduce The Mile High Players production of “The Wall” the GI Forums latest play. LaFore emphasized that the cast are all members of the GI Forum and not professional actors.

LaFore, who had two brothers who served in Vietnam talked about how badly Vietnam Veterans were treated when they returned home. “The were called baby killers and were spat upon for doing what they believed was the right thing to do at the time, fighting for their country,” he said as he paused to wipe the tears that had suddenly overcome him.

From left to right: #3 LtoR: Ricardo La Fore; Miguel Baca-Barragan; Michael Miera; Rich Marin; Tim Sandos; Ernie Torres

It quickly became apparent that the wounds of the Vietnam War that happened more than 50 years ago were still as painful as if they had been inflicted yesterday. The scars of those days not only affected those serving but their family and loved ones just as deeply with repercussions that are still felt to this day.

They read actual letters that they sent to their loved ones serving in Vietnam at the time. Diane Nino talked about how her husband was deployed just three days after they were married. They divorced shorty after he returned. “He wasn’t the same man I knew after he returned. Nino went on to sing the Carole King classic, “It’s too Late”.

LaFore told Latin Life Denver that, “I decided to call it The Wall as a tribute to all the fine men and women who eventually ended up on the Vietnam Wall Memorial in Washington, D.C.”

The plays run is over but hopefully they will bring it back soon.

Photos by Joe Contreras, Latin Life Denver Media…. Event Photography: 720-855-8410