I was contacted by a guy named Joshua Crone last month because he wanted me to see and review his play, “Waiting for Westy” at Yellow Bicycle Theater. I had never heard of this theater which is located on the second floor of a building at Arch and 15th Street. I learned that this is their tenth show and its their first Barrymore-eligible show. It deals with a South Philadelphia VFW Post and a rift between the veterans on how and why the war in Vietnam was fought, and whether or not to let General William Westmoreland (the commander of the forces in Vietnam from 1964-68) attend the memorial.
Anyone who was alive during that period will be fascinated as they relive so many moments in the history of the war. More fascinating is the argument between Skipper (Richard Rossy) and Doc (Thoeger Hanson) at the Post as they argue about the very merits and demerits of that war. Doc was a medic and he defends the decision made by Westmoreland and others for being in Vietnam to stop Communism from infiltrating the country. Skipper, who was severely injured during the war with shrapnel in his legs, scoffs at the ideas behind the U.S. participation in that war. He opposes letting Westmoreland to the Post for a drink during the time in 1987 when they were erecting a memorial for those who died in the war.
Then, there is Froggie. An alcoholic and a drug user, he is not coping with what he witnessed in the war. Though it is not mentioned, he is clearly struggling with PTSD.
The fourth character in this story written for the stage by Joshua Crone, who also portrays Froggie, is Aki. Aki (Lenny Ramos) is the son of a veteran of the war who was a friend of Froggy’s. Aki has brought a video that his father left him before he died. It is of testimony from the veterans of the war. He is also an Indian (Native American). It is clear that his father first thought it was a noble cause to fight for his country, but then, realizing what the struggle was about, reversed his stance.
The four of them argue, they challenge each other, they give us an abbreviated history of the times… and they drink. But the core of the play is not just about their experiences, but what they and the rest of Americans were told about the battles and their supposed successes. While they argue, they play pool and Skipper even throws darts at a dartboard. There was a picture of Jane Fonda in the center.
When I was 17, I heard that the Viet Cong (the Communist North Vietnamese) had attacked American ships in the Gulf of Tonkin. I was infuriated and had no problem when our government suddenly escalated our offensive there. But in time, it was revealed about the lies we were being told by our military and our government. We learned later that we were NOT attacked! And when we were attacked with their Tet offensive, Americans were shocked because they thought we were winning the war and it was only a matter of time. Westmoreland had lied about so many things.
There are video projections shown on a curtain from those days as we watch testimony of veterans who report of the atrocities and massacres of the Vietnamese. There are also excerpts from films like “The Green Berets,” that glorify our presences in Vietnam.
I loved the banter between Skipper and Doc, though it was a bit heavy on the information, which I am not sure anyone not of that generation would follow. And then, when Froggie enters, it gets more confused as Crone spoke softer than the others much of the time and I missed his stuff. And when Aki comes on, he sits and talks with his back to the audience, and I missed much of what he said as well. Later in the play, when he was turned around, I caught every word of the powerful story of what he revealed about his father.
The other problem I had with the play was the sound during many of the projections as the actors were talking at the same time. .
Be prepared to move, as the play takes place in three locations on the second floor of the building. Two of the scene-breaks are also act breaks where you can purchase a beverage at the on-stage bar of the VFW.
This is a long review of a play with a very short run. I saw a preview and it closes next weekend. Anyone who lived through those times will be enthralled, and if the younger folks living through the perils of the War in Iran follow it, they will see the parallels.
Waiting for Westy” by Joshua Crone at Yellow Bicycle Collective, 1435 Arch Street, 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102, (entrance on 15th Street) 267-709-8015, yellowbicycle.org, Thru May 31, 2026.
Philadelphia Theater Reviews by Frank Burd 