Theatre Baton Rouge starts the new year with the riveting drama “A Few Good Men.”
“A Few Good Men,” written by Aaron Sorkin, tells the story of two Marines on trial for complicity in the death of a fellow Marine, but as tensions mount, the military mentality and code of honor are in question as well.
The TBR production features performances by several University students, including theatre senior Curran Latas, who plays Private First Class William T. Santiago.
“He’s in the Marines, but it’s not his dream,” Latas said of his character in the play. “He feels obligated because of his family.” “I really have loved playing him; he’s an interesting character. The more I read the script, the more I want to tell [his] story.”
“A Few Good Men” is directed by University professor George Judy, whom Latas previously had as an instructor.
“You’d think there’d be this big transition, but the first day it just clicked,” Latas said, adding that the cast was in awe of Judy from the first rehearsal. “From day one we were all like, ‘OK, this is the bar, and we’re gonna meet it.’”
Latas has been performing with TBR for several years; his first show with them was the 2014 production of “Mary Poppins.”
Fans of the 1992 film adaptation of “A Few Good Men,” also penned by Sorkin, will certainly enjoy this production; however, Judy hopes people will see the play in new and exciting ways.
“It’s a show a lot of people are familiar with from the movie,” Judy said in an interview with Broadway World. “With the play itself, the storyline is very similar, but it’s a different kind of experience. It’s really sort of overtly theatrical and exciting, and a lot of different realities mixing in together.”
For Latas, “A Few Good Men” is drastically different from his previous experiences on stage.
“I’ve always kind of seen myself as this musical theatre person, so doing this very dark, straight play is unlike anything I’ve ever done before,” Latas said.
Many of the actors in the show had to get drastic haircuts, Latas added.
“I can be walking around campus, and people don’t recognize me,” he said. “It’s so cool to have that kind of physical transformation because it really helps me get into character.”
Other University students in the production include: Trey Tycer, Chase Bell and Skye Bocage. The production also includes recent graduate Scott Mitchell and biology professor Vince LiCata.
“A Few Good Men” runs through Feb. 5 at Theatre Baton Rouge. Tickets are discounted 20 percent for all active and veteran military and $20 for students.
"A Few Good Men," featuring several University students, will run at Theatre Baton Rouge until Feb. 5.
