Overview
Synopsis
Aaron Sorkin’s groundbreaking debut A Few Good Men tells the story of a group of military lawyers assigned to defend two Marines in Guantanamo Bay. During the course of the trial, they uncover a high-level conspiracy designed to eliminate weaker soldiers in the name of patriotism.
A Few Good Men had a successful run on Broadway in 1989 and went on to be produced all over the world. Tom Hulce, who originated the role of Lt. Kaffee, was nominated for Best Actor at the Tony Awards that year. NBC has slated a live television broadcast of the play to appear in 2017, complete with a brand-new teleplay adapted by Sorkin.
Show Information
- Book
- Aaron Sorkin
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1989
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Contemporary, Simple/No Set
- Time & Place
- guantanamo bay, cuba, washington dc
- Cast Size
- large
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Ensemble Cast, Large Cast, Mostly Male Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Includes Late Teen, Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult Characters
Context
Aaron Sorkin was inspired to write the script of A Few Good Men following a conversation he had with his sister. Deborah Sorkin is a graduate of Boston University Law School and was hired to defend a group of Navy Marines accused of torturing a fellow Marine as part of a hazing ritual ordered by a commanding officer. It was Sorkin’s first attempt at playwriting, and it opened on Broadway in the fall of 1989. A few years later he adapted his work into a screenplay and it was nominated for Best
to read the context for A Few Good Men and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One: Lance Corporal Harold Dawson and Private First Class Louden Downey are being court-martialed for the murder of fellow Marine Private William Santiago at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. The play opens with Dawson and Downey giving their testimony regarding Santiago’s death. Santiago was disliked within his unit; he was considered by many as weak and unfit to serve. He had written several letters in an attempt to be transferred off the base; these were disregarded and had the
to read the plot for A Few Good Men and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
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Ensemble |
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Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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