A Letter to Lyndon B. Johnson or God: Whoever Reads this First – 06 June 2025

Xhloe Rice and Natasha Roland have created a brilliant adventure into absurdity in their physically expressive comedy, A Letter to Lyndon B. Johnson or God: Whoever Reads this First. Simultaneously rife with amusing shenanigans and childlike wonder and fraught with complex political rabbit holes, this piece juxtaposes the innocence of adventurous boy scouts with the crushing severity of wartime blind obedience. It is revealed at the end that the stories of childhood antics and metaphorical journeys are being used by one character to try to keep the other alert and alive after being shot down in Vietnam.

The play interweaves four primary tales: each boy’s childhood, an allegorical story about manhood, and the present moment in Vietnam. At the beginning, the stories weave together in a kaleidoscope that doesn’t judge any as anything other than a good story. As the show goes on, however, the emotions and severity attached to each story becomes increasingly distinct and easier to separate. The audience starts to understand the horror of the wartime story through the lens of the boys struggling to remember the pledge of allegiance. Rather than feeling as though they are serving their country, the men are confused about who really is served by their service, and if there is a higher purpose or a God, or really just a president who is the Commander in Chief. They don’t both have the necessary skills to survive, but luck of the draw shows that having the proper training and superior knowledge doesn’t save Ace (Natasha Roland) over Grasshopper (Xhloe Rice), who can’t even swim.

From childhood, these boys were raised with a rigidity that mirrors the military precision of the actors’ movements onstage. There are comedic moments, many of which involve harmonicas, but even those are tightly choreographed. The steps out of line are minor, the infractions miniscule, and the creativity infinitesimal on the part of the characters; the devisors, on the other hand, create highly complex levels that leave little room for error but plenty of room to enjoy presenting this timely and important story. The reminders about what it truly means to give your life are poignant because the audience feels as though we have been with these boys for a complete life cycle. Not a word out of place, this show is tight and mesmerizing—it knows exactly how far to push in each direction and when it’s time to clarify what the audience is looking at and wrap up the story and the emotions it evokes.

A Letter to Lyndon B. Johnson or God: Whoever Reads this First encapsulates a full spectrum of the pain of losing lives otherwise filled with mirth and joy too soon, and dares to ask who and what war is really for. It’s a strong voice for peace, but also for thoughtful reflection on the cost of peace—what is necessary and what goes too far. In whose name is it okay to commit atrocities? Is there a difference between risking your life for a promise, a dream, and a president versus a divine higher power? Does it matter who you’re serving if, in the end, you really have to give your life? This show is not to be underestimated; it is a true tour d’force.

I attended this performance on a press pass from DARR Publicity.