Exit12: Stories of War – Intrepid Museum
Exit12 Dance Company
Post-Show Report
Exit12: Stories of War
The Intrepid Museum, New York City
Friday, May 30, 2025 | 7:00–9:30 PM EDT
Photo: Jacob Carll
Overview
On May 30, 2025, Exit12 Dance Company partnered with the Intrepid Museum to present our third annual Stories of War—a compelling evening of dance, music, and storytelling held in honor of Memorial Day. The performance was the culmination of an eight-week movement workshop series with a diverse group of veterans, military-connected individuals, and artists. Through collaborative creation, participants translated their experiences of war, service, transition, and healing into powerful artistic expression.
The evening was dedicated to Michael “Mick” Monroe, a Vietnam veteran whose life embodied courage, endurance, and love. Raised in an Army family, Mick enlisted in 1966 and served in Vietnam from 1967–1968, where he was wounded three times, captured, escaped, and awarded the Purple Heart. After his service, he built a life in Tacoma, Washington, working 43 years for the phone company and raising three children with his wife of 54 years. In his later years, he lived with Parkinson’s disease caused by Agent Orange exposure and entered hospice care. With great sadness, we share that Mick passed away just 15 minutes before the performance began. His memory guided the evening and reminded us of the enduring strength of faith, the weight of silence borne by many veterans, and the deep pride he carried for his service and family.
With over 230 audience members in attendance, Stories of War achieved significant public visibility, including a full-page feature in the Sunday edition of the New York Times and a morning show appearance on NY Pix11’s New York Living. The program successfully fostered cross-cultural dialogue, deepened public understanding of the military experience, and celebrated the transformative power of the arts.
Workshop Summary
Over the course of eight weeks, Exit12 led movement-based workshops for a group of veterans and military-connected individuals from all branches of service. These participants included 5 Navy veterans, 4 Army veterans, 3 Marine Corps veterans, and 4 military family members. Participants came together to explore themes of identity, trauma, resilience, and hope through physical storytelling.
Guided by Exit12 artists and teaching staff, participants co-created an original dance work performed live as part of the final event. The workshop process was rooted in vulnerability, connection, and creativity—providing participants with a safe, empowering space to express themselves and connect with others through shared experience.
Performance Highlights
The Stories of War performance was a multi-disciplinary evening of original and collaborative works, including:
Live Dance & Music
Exit12 Dance Company performed new and existing repertory exploring the complexities of the military experience, service, and reintegration, including the premiere of a new work by Gold Star Sister Taylor Gordon exploring camaraderie, and lack thereof, in and out of the military.
Participant ensemble work co-created by workshop participants and Exit12, performed live to an original musical composition, by Adrianna Mateo, an acclaimed vocalist and classical violinist. Her newly composed piece incorporated the participants words.
Jennifer Pacanowski, poet, Army veteran, and founder of Women Veterans Empowered & Thriving (WVET), performed original poetry accompanied by guitarist Arthur Benson.
Maureen Elias, Army veteran, performed a song centered on military family experience and loss.
Chris Ferrara, singer-songwriter and CreatiVets alum, performed live his song “I Can’t Cry” as well as CreatiVets songs “Never Forget Them” and “Trigger,” which make up the first three movements of Exit12’s piece Last Letter Home, inspired by the letters written by service members before deployment handed to their battle buddy to send to their families if they don’t make it home.
Audience and Attendance
The event drew an engaged and diverse crowd of over 230 attendees, including:
Veterans and active duty service members
Military families and caregivers
Civic leaders and elected officials
Artists, clinicians, and arts-in-health professionals
Representatives from supporting organizations and funders
General public and patrons of the Intrepid Museum
Impact and Feedback
Audience reactions and participant feedback underscored the emotional resonance and social relevance of the evening:
“I’m gonna get outta my comfort zone. It was a bit confusing, I’m like, what am I doing? You want me to do a hand gesture? And then that carried on through the entire six weeks into the show. So, um, but it was, it was amazing. I connected with all these inspirational people from, with all these different walks of life and different stories and hearing everybody’s story and journey. I thought everybody was like me, I did my Navy time, I’m a veteran and I went to college. But we are so, so different and our journeys are so different. It has been such an honor.” - Workshop participant
“I thought the performance was beautiful, moving and had a quality of mystery. The dancers were amazing.” - Audience member
I loved the community and environment that you guys created- it was fun and enjoyable while still being creative and it felt like people were pushed out of their comfort zones in a great way at times! - Workshop participant
I enjoyed the personal stories, camaraderie, the final performance to express our stories/journeys, the capturing of rehearsals and final performance on video and still photos. - Workshop participant
Media and Public Recognition
The event achieved strong media visibility and digital reach:
New York Times: Full-page Sunday feature on Exit12 and the Stories of War project
NY Pix11 – “New York Living”: Live appearance and interview on the morning show
Intrepid Museum promotions via email blasts, website landing page, and social media
Exit12’s social media campaign, including behind-the-scenes Instagram Stories and post-event recaps, reached thousands of users with strong engagement
Funding & Support
This project was made possible through generous funding and support from:
Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs
Ares Financial Veterans ERG
DANCE/NYC’s Dance Advancement Fund, made possible by the Howard Gilman Foundation and the Ford Foundation
Donald H. Putnam, Jr. DA Fund of the Foundation for the Tri-State Community
Center for Military-Affiliated Students at The New School
The Intrepid Museum’s Veterans Programs are supported by public funds facilitated by the New York City Council Committee on Veterans, in partnership with the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. The Museum’s education programs are supported in part by the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Conclusion
Stories of War at the Intrepid was more than a performance—it was a convergence of experience, empathy, and expression. By placing veterans and military-connected individuals at the center of the creative process, Exit12 gave voice to untold stories and offered audiences a window into the emotional truths of military service. As Exit12 continues to build on this model, the 2025 performance stands as a landmark example of art’s ability to unite, heal, and inspire.