A FEW GOOD MEN
Character Descriptions
Read through the details below and indicate on your audition from the role(s) for which you would like to be considered.
LT DANIEL A. KAFFEE – Lead Male – spunky, self-absorbed, a bit chaotic, but very talented lawyer who finds himself being challenged and stretched in ways he’s never been. Rarely leaves the stage. Rapid-fire intelligence and caustic wit. Loves hearing himself talk and thinks he’s cool, but learns a valuable lesson about duty.
LT CMDR JOANNE GALLOWAY – Lead Female – highly motivated go-getter who still thinks she needs to prove herself as a woman in the military. Knows the truth, but finds it tough when others can’t recognize it. Tries to fight in the purest sense of the word but knows when she’s outmatched – but goes down fighting. A real fiery character who sometimes bites off more than she can chew.
LT SAMANTHA WEINBERG – Supporting Female – career focused lawyer who misses her family, but loves what she does – which is playing second fiddle to a much more talented and vocally astute side-kick (Kaffee). Provides a lot of comic relief and dialog gymnastics.
LT COL NATHAN JESSEP – Supporting Male – the essence of Marine: tough, focused, uncompromising, powerful in speech and physical presence, intimidating to everyone, but still able to schmooze when necessary. Believes he is the hero of the story and just might be right. A truly edgy, scary, but fascinating man.
LT JOHNATHAN JAMES KENDRICK – Supporting Male – over-the-top duty-focused Marine who exemplifies all that is wrong with myopic leadership. Uses the Bible as a thumping card when he needs to prove a point. Instigates many confrontations. Not likeable at all…and he doesn’t care.
LT JACQUELINE ROSS – Supporting Female – Prosecuting attorney who solidly knows the law, the Marines, and his counterpart in court. Strong and honorable, likeable in a conflicting way. Good friends with Kaffee, but knows she has to beat him.
CAPT MATTHEW MARKINSON – Featured Male – Marine Executive Officer who tries to secretly push the truth to the forefront only to find everything he’s ever been taught being challenged. A good counterpart to Jessep – someone we want to believe in, but maybe someone who’s Marine-ness is questionable.
PFC LOUNDEN DOWNEY – Supporting Male – sweet, down-home boy-next-door who probably joined the Marines because it’s the best way to utilize what little brain God gave him. Servant side-kick to the nth degree…will fall on a grenade if ordered to. Naïve and genuine while also being a little “slow”.
LANCE COPORAL HAROLD DAWSON – Supporting Male – Essence of Marine honor with a touch of genuine humanity. Believes to the core in the Corps – its honor and its code – and is willing to state that in court even if it gets him life in prison. But really is a soft-hearted good guy who wants to balance service, honor and the human condition. A protector and a fighter.
PFC WILLIAM SANTIAGO – featured male – honestly whimpy Marine whose inability to carry his load, despite its reality, is the cause of the conflict in the show. Appears only in monolog flashback and always as a boy who tries to be a man, but just doesn’t have the parts to do it.
CMDR WILMA STONE – featured female – the only woman on the Marine Base and also the doctor who tries to maintain medical protocol and military prowess at the same time. Gets caught up in a lie and might have the capabilities of fighting it.
CAPT. JULIA ALEXANDRIA RANDOLPH – featured female – strong but decent Judge of the Court Martial who oversees the trial with a firm fist and short, spark-like manner of speaking.
CPL. JEFFREY OWEN HOWARD – featured male – goofy and fun Marine who provides a lot of comic relief, but also a lot of truth in what goes on behind the scenes of the Marine training. A fun role for younger actor.
CAPT IRENE WHITAKER – featured female – Kaffee’s JAG boss who assigns him to the case. Appears only at the start of the show but whose presence and command of the situation needs to set the tone for the entire play. Easy going, but still knows the rules, likes to “play along” and jest, but ultimately pretty serious.
ENSEMBLE – the play requires a myriad of military people who serve as sentries, guards, officers in the jury, etc…some have lines, others are eye candy…all of whom create a solid visual and character piece for the overall look and feel of the show.