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.
It’s told on a mostly bare stage with various props from the different time periods. Sound design by Andy Evan Cohen, lighting design by Katy Atwell, and projection design by Josh Iacovelli and Andy Evan Cohen help set the particular atmosphere for the various segments presented.
Taurel moves effortlessly from era to era, changing sex, personality, and accent when required. Most importantly, he’s able to make every one of the characters feel completely real. Some of these include a teenage colonist from Boston who wants to fight the British and seeks advice from his grandfather who fought in the French and Indian War, a veteran soldier who tries to impart a bit of advice to a new arrival to the Vietnam jungles, and a young woman from a patriarchal Italian family who joins the marines and suffers a devastating injury in Iraq.
Douglas Taurel in "The American Soldier." Teresa Castracane Photography
Judd Hollander
Author
Judd Hollander is a reviewer for stagebuzz.com and a member of the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle.
