This 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning thriller has rocketed back into the spotlight, thanks to this 2020 Tony Award®-winning Best Revival from Roundabout Theatre Company. “This is a play that deserves to be staged regularly all over America—though it’s hard to imagine that it will ever be done better than this. It keeps you guessing all the way to the final curtain” (The Wall Street Journal).
In 1944, on a Louisiana Army base, two shots ring out. A Black sergeant is murdered. And a series of interrogations triggers a gripping barrage of questions about sacrifice, service, and identity in America. Broadway’s Norm Lewis leads a powerhouse cast in the show Variety calls “a knock-your-socks-off-drama," directed by Tony winner Kenny Leon.
There is beauty in the power of an actor that can take the helm of a show like a ship. However, watching a cast lead just as strongly individually into the journey on stage is much more powerful. This is especially true when a show brings out the depth of perspectives a community may still be plagued to face decades beyond the conception of the piece. The magic is found in the portrayal of truths whilst showing how multifaceted perspectives can make a reality. The National Tour of A Soldier's Play at ASU Gammage is that piece, being led by not only the sensational Norm Lewis but also a fantastic cast, telling a story that although set in a time and place nearly 80 years ago, is also one that still mirrors realities our communities face today.
An observation for me is the relevancy of the storyline racism is still as prevalent today as it was during the time period in which A Soldier's Play was set. Major kudos to director, Kenny Leon, the cast of A Soldier's Play, and of course the playwright, the late Charles Fuller (who passed away last year) for reminding this audience that we still have a long way to go to knock down the door of racism, whether it is systemic or individualized.
| 1981 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 2005 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 2020 | Broadway |
Roundabout Theatre Company's Original Broadway Production Broadway |
| 2022 | US Tour |
North American Tour US Tour |
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