By Caden Dillon

Recently I paid a visit to the theater to check out the La Salle Players’ in-progress production of A Few Good Men. In contrast to the large ensembles of this year’s 150th Cabaret and A Christmas Carol, this is a smaller production, with only sixteen performers in the entire cast. But just like any other show, the cast and crew alike are working hard to make it the best it can be. While the actors onstage rehearse a scene, their castmates are committing lines to memory from the audience, and stage managers Sydney Andrade and Gianni Diarbi, both seniors, are making note of missed lines and other areas in need of improvement. At the same time, tech is sawing, drilling, and painting away backstage. The theater is its own ecosystem, with a multitude of moving parts—but thanks to the dedication of the cast and crew and the leadership of the stage managers, tech manager Mrs. Cerros, and director Mr. Haynes, the whole system runs smoothly.

As the performance dates loom nearer, the sound, lighting, and costume crew become involved. It’s then that you can really feel a production coming together. There are, of course, setbacks, especially during a pandemic. At the rehearsal I attended, for example, Mr. Haynes had to step in for a quarantined cast member in some scenes. Speaking from experience as an actor, it’s not uncommon for the final week to feel like a scramble toward disaster, but it all tends to work out in the end. Everyone involved is incredibly committed, and those involved in every facet of the production work together to put on a great show. I’ve yet to see a La Salle production disappoint.

Charlie Boucher ‘22, who plays lawyer Daniel Kaffee, says he is “excited” to bring A Few Good Men to audiences this weekend. The show, written by Aaron Sorkin, was first performed in 1989 before being adapted into a Tom Cruise-starring film in 1992. It tells the story of a military trial for two Marines (Julia Benoit and Billy Stockton) accused of murdering one of their own. Kaffee, initially reluctant to give the case the attention it deserves, works with fellow lawyer Joanne Galloway (Sophia DeThomas) and in the process uncovers a larger issue with abuse of power among the higher-ups. The result is a powerful courtroom drama about the conflict between honor, duty, and morality in the military.A Few Good Men opens Thursday, February 10th at 7:00 PM and runs until the 12th. Tickets can be purchased through the La Salle website or at this link.