Left to right, David Randle (Walter Stone), Jemarc Axinto (Jack Ross), Kerry Jones (Sgt. At Arms), and Tom Kelly (Judge). PHOTOS BY AND COURTESY OF JEFF MAHER
Lexington Park, MD – The Newtowne Players at the Three Notch Theatre continues the run of Aaron Sorkin’s drama A Few Good Men through May 1 with Thursday, Friday, and Saturday performances at 8 p.m. and the final Sunday matinee at 3:30 pm. For tickets you may visit www.newtowneplayers.org or you may call (301)737-5447. Note, due to mature language and content, this production is recommended or those ages 13 and up). The Three Notch Theatre is located on South Coral Drive in Lexington Park.
A Few Good Men was first produced on Broadway in 1989 and tells the story of military lawyers at a court-martial who uncover a high-level conspiracy in the course of defending their clients, two U.S. Marines accused of murder. Sorkin subsequently adapted his script into the screenplay for the 1992 film directed by Robert Reiner which starred Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and Demi Moore.
The story is set during the summer of 1986 at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, and in Washington, D.C. Two young Marines—Lance Cpl. Harold W. Dawson and Pfc. Louden Downey—stand trial for the murder of Pfc. William T. Santiago at Guantanamo Bay. Daniel Kaffee, an arrogant Navy lawyer, expects a simple open-and-shut plea-bargain case. Lt. Com. Joanne Galloway, who also serves as a member of the defense team, encourages him to make a valiant effort to defend the two Marines, putting the military mentality and the Marine code of honor on trial as well.
Sorkin originally got the idea for his play from his sister who was serving with the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps. She was going to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base to defend a group of Marines who had come close to killing a fellow Marine in a hazing ordered by a superior officer.
For the Newtowne Players’ production, a recording of a trumpeted “Reveille” precedes announcements as Act I begins. The Great Mills High School NJ ROTC offers an impressive display of agility with their weapons after the Presentation of Colors. (The well-trained team is under the direction of David Randle).
Harold W. Dawson announces to the audience that he and Downey are suspected of murdering Pfc William T. Santiago; both have pled guilty. Each of the marines in turn relates details of the hazing incident.
LTJG Daniel A. Kaffee, USN (Peter Klug) is appointed to defend Dawson and Downey. Kaffee is more interested in softball than in anything having to do with law. LCDR Joanne Galloway (Madelyn Oosterink) wants the two prisoners to rescind their pleas and come to D.C. from Guantanamo Bay to receive counsel. She works for the Navy JAG Corps and endeavors to learn whether Santiago’s murder was a Code Red. Kaffee and Galloway do not initially like each other, but come to respect each other’s strengths and weaknesses as the story unfolds. Galloway confesses to Kaffee that she can fight, but he can win; and in the end, it is obvious that they have made a good alliance.
The audience gradually becomes acquainted with Santiago through his letters, and learns that he has broken the chain of command and threatened to rat out his unit.
As Kaffee and fellow defense team member LTJG Sam Weinberg (Timothy Joyce) interview the suspected murderers, they realize the extent of the prisoners’ dedication and adherence to the marines’ philosophy of Unit, Corps, God, Country. Kaffee begins to exhibit a more lawyerly style of behavior.
The defense team travels to Cuba to meet with Col. Nathan Jessup, USMC (Jeff Maher in the Jack Nicholson role). As Jessup, Maher rattles off the f-word multiple times in rapid-fire succession with surprising ease, cowering marines and lawyers alike in his presence, managing to effectively create a powerful, efficient, and truly unlikeable character while confidently smoking a cigar. Joanne persists with her line of questioning: was the death of Santiago premeditated murder or a “botched-up” Code Red?
Back in D.C., Prosecutor Lt. Jack Ross, USMC (Jemarc Axinto) puts pressure on Kaffee to have the prisoners plead to assault charges. But by the end of Act I, Kaffee finally develops some backbone and pleads the two marines not guilty.
Director Thom Esposito has assembled an amazing cast of seasoned and new-to-NTP actors. Mr. Esposito has a knack for facilitating camaraderie within the company (he has directed barefoot in the Park, and Boeing, Boeing) and A Few Good Men is no exception. There are 19 different locations and 27 scene changes to this show; all are handled with proficiency by the actors themselves and by the stage crew. Slide projections illuminating the back of the stage are an inspired idea, lending expansiveness to the stark sets. The first act runs long but tension builds throughout, culminating in Act II’s electrifying courtroom finale.
What everyone wants to see, of course, is just exactly how that final courtroom scene plays out. Is it worth the wait? Is this scene as memorable live on stage with Jeff Maher and Peter Klug as it was on film with Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise?
The answers to these questions are: yes, and yes. This is definitely the scene folks will be talking about long after they’ve left the theatre.
Standout actors in supporting roles are Nick Woods as Lance Cpl. Harold W. Dawson, Colin Maher as the sensitive and reticent Downey, NTP veteran Christopher Joyce as Capt. Matthew A. Markinson, David Randle as CDR Walter Stone, Jemarc Axinto, as Lt. Jack Ross, Jonathan Berry as Lt. Jonathan James Kendrick, Lewis Beckley, as Cpl.Jeffrey Owen Howard, Brandon Maher as an MP, Michael Sokoloff as CAPT Isaac Whitaker and Kerry Jones as Sgt. At Arms.
In his Director’s Notes, Thom Esposito extends his sincere thanks to: his exceptional cast; the set construction crew; the Great Mills High School NJ ROTC Drill team; CAPT David Randle, USN; Bill Kelly (Technical Advisor/Costumes, who is new to the theater world. He was a Gunnery Sergeant in the Marine Corps; he now works at Pax River. Bill holds a BS Degree from Chapman College in Electronics, and an MA in Military History from Norwich University); Eric Millham; Casey Page; to the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center; and to Stage manager Beth Sanford (director of four NTP shows and Stage Manager of 8) – Beth is credited for keeping everyone and everything on-track, off-book, on schedule, and on time.
Dave Kyser is lighting designer. David V. Groupe is set designer. Properties manager is Diane Trautman and Joanne Fuesel is costume designer. Jennifer Carnahan is NTP’s artistic director.
The Newtowne Players’ next production is A Night On Broadway: Sight, Sound, and Song featuring songs from popular Broadway musicals such as Pippin, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, and Carousel, among others, which will run from May 20 through May 29. This show is written by Diane Trautman and Thom Esposito.
The Newtowne Players is a volunteer-run 501 © 3 organization. For more information you may contact www.newtowneplayers.org.
