NEW YORK—As actor and playwright Douglas Taurel explains in his one-man show “The American Solder,” there are three important lessons to learn in the military. First is discipline—the importance of following orders and trusting in the chain of command; teamwork—where working together is how you survive in war; and brotherhood—that you are now part of something bigger than yourself.
Taurel, who has performed the show in over 34 cities across America, created the work based on extensive research, interviews, and letters that those in combat wrote to their loved ones. From that material, he created 14 characters, all affected by the forces of war. Though the settings are different, ranging from before the American Revolution to the more recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the issues examined are constant throughout.
