Jeff Peterson (left), a Navy veteran, and Chris Nickrant, an Air Force veteran, both of Milwaukee, perform a scene from “Troilus and Cressida.” Credit: Michael Sears

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Achilles stared down Hector.

The two warriors warily circled each other, verbally flexing their muscles in a war of words. The scene comes late in Shakespeare's play "Troilus and Cressida," and Chris Nickrant (Achilles) and Jeff Peterson (Hector) had not memorized the lines where their characters boast how they will kill each other.

But on Sunday the Vietnam War veterans were Shakespearean actors for the day, acting out the emotional scene at Milwaukee's Veterans Affairs hospital through an innovative program that pairs professional actors and directors with veterans to perform scenes from Shakespeare plays.

Called Feast of Crispian after the rallying cry in "Henry V," the program helps veterans overcoming trauma, emotional issues, substance abuse or difficulties reintegrating into society through the words of Shakespeare. Many participants learn of the program while undergoing treatment at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center or from friends, or they see a flier and decide to check out the three-day free workshop.

"I fell in love with it," said Nickrant, who served in the Air Force from 1970-'74. "It has enabled me to feel more self-confident. It gives you a sense of accomplishment when you finish."

Professional actors stand next to the veterans, feeding them the lines, giving definitions of tough words and asking questions to help them with emotions they should be feeling. The technique removes the stress of reading a difficult passage, so veterans can concentrate on the words.

Peterson has attended all nine workshops held at the Milwaukee VA since the program started there 11/2 years ago, while Nickrant has participated in all but one.

"The easiest and hardest way to put it — it's an emotional experience like no other treatment," said Peterson, a Navy sonar technician in the 1970s. "This is something I look forward to. I don't want it to end."

Feast of Crispian was founded in Milwaukee by Bill Watson, an associate professor in the theater department at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; his wife, Nancy Smith-Watson, a professional actor; and Jim Tasse, a UWM adjunct professor in theater; using a technique invented at Shakespeare and Co. in Massachusetts three decades ago. They choose conflict-heavy scenes from Shakespeare's plays for two veterans to act out, scenes with strong emotions that are roughly equal in dialogue for each actor but with no long speeches.

On Sunday, 10 veterans from all service branches, ranging from folks who served in the 1950s to post-9/11 veterans, did scenes from "The Winter's Tale," "Julius Caesar," "Henry IV" and "Troilus and Cressida."

Speaking the Bard's words helps veterans work through their shyness and reticence, while the rhyme and meter get parts of their brains talking to each other that might have stopped working because of trauma or substance abuse. While some veterans are very familiar with Shakespeare, many stop by the gym at the VA and ask what it's about.

"Most times, they think they're going to come in and watch us act," said Smith-Watson. "We really get right into it Friday night, creating a sense of group dynamic, asking them to connect with everyone else in the group really quickly. We've been floored at how much that works, that by the end of the first night we have 12-18 people who came in saying, 'I came to check this out but I probably won't be back tomorrow.' Yet we rarely lose anyone. They give up a whole weekend to do the work."

Watson pointed out to the group that most of Shakespeare's characters say exactly what they mean, something that rarely happens in the real world. And by digging deep into the feelings and motivation of the character they're portraying, they're deepening their ability to connect emotionally.

Veterans go through acting exercises and are given their scenes on the first day, then they continue working on them through Saturday and Sunday before performing them Sunday afternoon for family, friends and other veterans. Before performing for the public Sunday afternoon, the veterans acted out their scenes without words to emphasize movement. Their faces contorted in anger or longing, they saluted or slashed at each other with imaginary swords and they basked in the applause from their peers at the end of their scenes.

The next Feast of Crispian Shakespeare workshop at Milwaukee's VA is Jan. 16-18. Organizers are looking for performance space to expand the program while continuing to workshops with veterans at the VA.

John Buck, who served in the Marines from 1979-'83, and Manning Bookstaff, a soldier from 1954-'56, acted out a scene from "The Tempest" with Bookstaff as Prospero and Buck portraying Caliban. Buck has participated several times in Feast of Crispian workshops.

"I consider it theater therapy. It gets veterans to open up about their problems," said Buck. "You see veterans slowly opening up throughout the weekend."

Behind the name

Feast of Crispian takes its name from the famous speech by Henry in Shakespeare's play "Henry V" — This day is called the feast of Crispian. He that outlives this day and comes safe home, will stand a tip-toe when the day is named ... And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, from this day to the ending of the world, but we in it shall be remember'd. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.