Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 4, 1994 TAG: 9408050038
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By KAREN L. DAVIS SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
In 1989, Sorkin, then a 28-year-old playwright with only two one-acts to his name, had his agent send the script to a Hollywood film producer who eventually agreed to the perfect ``dream'' deal. Not only did the producer buy the screen rights, he bought the stage rights and presented the play on Broadway before making it into a hit movie.
The play premiered in September 1989 at the University of Virginia's Culbreath Theater. After the campus tryout, ``A Few Good Men'' moved on to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., and later went to Broadway's Music Box Theater.
The Mill Mountain Theatre production of ``A Few Good Men'' opens Friday at Center in the Square and continues through Aug. 28. A preview performance is tonight at 7:30.
A military courtroom drama set in the summer of 1986, ``A Few Good Men'' takes place in various locations in Washington, D.C., and on the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The suspense centers on two Marines accused of murdering a member of their unit during a Code Red - a secret disciplinary action. An elaborate cover-up ensues that brings to light moral questions about duty, blind obedience and unwritten codes of honor.
The play and film are loosely based on a real incident that occurred in 1986 and later was told to Sorkin.
Sgt. Murray VanPelt, Public Affairs Director for the U.S. Marine Corp Recruiting Station in Richmond, was one of three Marines who recently visited the Mill Mountain cast during rehearsals to offer technical advice on the bearing and conduct of a Marine and to relate facts about the real incident.
``The real incident,'' VanPelt said, ``involved a Marine who was assaulted by 10 other Marines when it was suspected that he was an NIS [Naval Investigative Service] informant.''
Fortunately, the real-life victim did not die, as happens in the play and film. But seven of the 10 assailants ``accepted discharges under `other than honorable conditions' in lieu of court martial,'' and three were court-martialed and convicted of assault, VanPelt said.
The real-life victim was bound, gagged, blind-folded and beaten. He suffered oxygen deprivation and internal bleeding, but eventually returned to duty, VanPelt said.
At the time of the incident, the NIS was investigating possible fence-line firings by Marines assigned to the Guantanamo Bay base, VanPelt said. It was later determined that no such firings took place.
In the fictional account, fence-line firings are alluded to only briefly. The victim in the play, Pfc. William T. Santiago (portrayed by Gary Mink), writes several letters to his senators, and in one of them, he promises information about someone who shot over the line, in exchange for a transfer off base.
Santiago is ostracized by the others because he often complains of being sick and can't keep up during the workouts. The others are ordered to teach him a lesson via a Code Red.
According to VanPelt, a Code Red does not exist in real Marine life, and is a ``fictional element made up by the playwright'' as a vehicle for telling his story.
Sorkin won an Outer Critics Circle Award for the play in 1989. The movie was nominated for Best Picture but did not win. Jack Nicholson, who played the hard-nosed warrior, Lt. Col. Nathan Jessep, in the movie was nominated for Best Actor but did not win.
Michael Goodwin portrays the villainous Jessep character in the Mill Mountain production. Goodwin, who lives in Richmond, has appeared in numerous films and television series, including ``The Dead Pool,'' ``The Hamptons,'' ``Matlock,'' ``Dynasty,'' ``Falcon Crest,'' ``St. Elsewhere,'' ``Cagney and Lacey'' and ``L.A. Law.'' He recently finished a role in an upcoming film, ``Road to Wellville,'' that stars Anthony Hopkins.
Shane Stevens plays Lt. j.g. Daniel Kaffee, the young, smart-aleck Navy lawyer who was Tom Cruise's character in the screen version. Assisting Kaffee are Lt. j.g. Sam Weinberg, played by Steven Satta, and Lt. Cmdr. Joanne Galloway, played by Colleen Kelly.
Kelly, an associate professor of theater at the University of Virginia, also handles the production's fight choreography. Among her recent credits is the dance choreography for Richard Gere and Jody Foster in the movie, ``Sommersby,'' which was filmed partly in Virginia.
Ivan Jourdain and Brian Burke play the accused. Other cast members include Tom Honer, Bev Appleton, Doug Zschiegner, Mark Lien, Clif Morts, Jim Ganser, Graham Frye, Randy Bourne, David Dvorscak, Jade Cissoni and David Johnston.
Jere Lee Hodgin directs the production. John Sailer provides technical direction and set and lighting design. Mitch Baker is the costume designer.
``A Few Good Men'' opens Friday at 8 p.m. at Mill Mountain Theatre, Center in the Square, downtown Roanoke. 342-5740.
by CNB