Human cannonball record holder to perform, playwriting grants to be announced at Savage Wonder Festival

Two events have been added to Veterans Repertory Theater’s (VetRep’s) first annual Savage Wonder Festival of Veterans in the Arts on Sunday, May 29, from 12pm - 10pm, at the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center in Sugar Loaf, NY.

As a second generation cannonball, David “The Bullet” Smith carries on a family tradition of being the highest and farthest flying cannonballs of all time. He has performed over 8,000 shows around the globe. His feats range from breaking the world distance record early in his career to blasting over obstacles such as Ferris wheels, concert stages, even part of the Grand Canyon.

He holds six Guinness World Records with the highest cannon shot and the farthest cannon shot, breaking his own world record four times. David will be performing two cannonball shots at the Savage Wonder Festival – one at the beginning of the Festival and a second one around 6 p.m.

Also, Veterans Repertory Theater will officially announce its inaugural playwriting competition winners at the Savage Wonder Festival. The competitors were all military, law enforcement, fire, EMS, foreign service, intelligence service, Department of Defense employee or contractor veterans or immediate family members. The three finalists for the full-length playwriting competition are current New York Army National Guardsman Jason Pizzarello, former Marine Anton Sattler, and military daughter Phanesia Pharel. The three finalists for the ten-minute playwriting competition are military daughter Leilani Squire, foreign service son Donald Ranard, and Cold War Army veteran Arthur Boatin.

The finalists were decided by a panel of distinguished judges: Rob Long, the former executive producer of Cheers; Bob Balaban, the actor, director and producer of the Oscar-nominated Gosford Park; Christian Camargo, known for his award-winning New York City stage performances as well as Dexter, The Hurt Locker, and Twilight; Broadway playwright Jeremy Kareken, and award-winning playwright Jonathan Leaf.

“The judges were in agreement that this was an exceptionally strong competition. For each of these finalists to have stood out among such stiff competition is truly a great accomplishment. From their subject matter to their innovative storytelling, these playwrights prove that veterans have a lot to say in ways that audiences may not have heard before.”

Tickets for the Savage Wonder Festival are on sale for $5 per ticket. VIP tickets are also available. The Savage Wonder Festival is being held in conjunction with the Sugar Loaf Spring Festival and the village will be closed to vehicular traffic for the day to facilitate both events.

Sponsors should reach out to info@vetrep.org or visit SavageWonder.com/sponsors for details.savagewonder.com