Join us for a screening of Stu Richel’s one-man stage production, “Vietnam . . . Through My Len,” followed by a conversation with Stu about his experience as a soldier in Vietnam.
In his poignant stage performance, Stu Richel recounts his Vietnam War experience as a combat photographer and correspondent, offering a deeply personal meditation on service, memory, and the lingering impact of war. The performance opens with Richel’s admission that he never fully considered how Vietnam changed him—prompting the storytelling journey that follows.
Drafted in 1967, Richel went from law school to basic training at Fort Jackson, and eventually to Vietnam. His early experiences in the Army are recounted with a blend of humor and pathos: culture shock in the South, camaraderie among draftees, absurd rituals, and brushes with military bureaucracy. Stationed first as a legal clerk, he soon transfers to the First Infantry Division’s Public Information Office and becomes a field correspondent, chronicling combat operations through photos and dispatches.
The heart of the performance dwells in Richel’s observations of life in Vietnam. He captures the monotony and danger of patrols, the quiet bravery of infantrymen, and the complex roles of other soldiers—from medevac pilots and tunnel rats to officers and Vietnamese allies. He shares moving stories of fleeting beauty amid destruction. There is no glory in Richel’s war stories—just a deep respect for the men who endured the daily grind of combat and the emotional burdens that followed them home.
Richel’s narrative also extends beyond the war. He recalls encounters with fellow veterans years later—some thriving, others struggling—highlighting how the war continued shaping their lives.
The show includes Richel’s memory of his departure from Vietnam. As new soldiers filed into the country, Richel boarded the “freedom bird” home. The sense of release, relief, and gratitude for survival dominated.
How Vietnam changed change Stu’s life? It’s hard to say. But through his vivid storytelling, he shows how war leaves a mark not only on the body, but on the soul—and how that mark can, over time, be turned into meaning.
We’re grateful to UPMC for Life for sponsoring this event!
