The Edge of Peace

The Edge of Peace is the third and final play in the acclaimed Ware Trilogy, which includes Zeder's award-winning plays Mother Hicks and The Taste of Sunrise. It is set in the same tiny town of Ware, Illinois, and follows many of the same characters as they spin the conclusion of their stories. Set in 1945 in the last desperate days of World War II, this play deals with the impact on a family and a community after a young man from the town is declared missing in action and the soldier's little brother refuses to believe what seems inevitable. In the visual poetry of sign language, Tuc, who is now a mechanic and the deaf postman for the town, takes us on a journey of hope through a landscape of loss. But there is suspicion and mystery afoot. Not far from town, a German prisoner of war escapes from a nearby camp and has been seen lurking in the shadows. Up on Dug Hill, the mysterious Nell Hicks is suspected of being a "sympathizer"; because she listens to radio broadcasts in German. A recruiter from the Goodyear Plant comes to town with an offer for Tuc to leave a home, where he is valued and respected, to join a Deaf community far away in Akron. Eleven-year-old Buddy patrols the streets, searches for clues and tries to hold his family together as everyone waits for news about the missing soldier and prays for peace. Each of the plays in the Ware Trilogy can be produced independently, but taken together they lead us through three pivotal eras of American history as reflected in the lives of the families who live in Ware. At the core of each play is an issue important to Deaf and hearing cultures, but most important are the human stories of longing and loss, humor and hope that will resonate with audiences of all ages.