Beyond Glory

Roundabout / Laura Pels Theater

June 14, 2007

VanLoan

vanloan@nyconstage.org

Stephen Lang has made a career out of playing morally courageous men both on stage (Defiance) and screen (Gettysburg). It seems fitting that he would adapt Larry Smith's 2004 book Beyond Glory as a solo stage vehicle for himself. That it turns out to be a tour-de-force in both writing and performance seems to be no surprise either.

Smith's Beyond Glory is the stories of American servicemen who have received the Medal of Honor for bravery above and beyond the call of duty. They are representative of America's military conflicts from WW II's Pearl Harbor to Vietnam's Gulf of Tonkin (it is also no coincidence that the specter of the current Iraqi confrontation hovers ominously about). Lang has chosen eight different men of various color and backgrounds to bring to theatrical life. His very physical presence (crew cut, buff, muscular body and a youthful demeanor despite being in his mid-fifties) immediately grabs our attention. However, it's his vocal interpretations and his distinctive mannerisms that brilliantly capture these men and bring them vividly to life.

Since the backbone of the piece is learning about how and why these men performed as they did, to go into any detail would negate some its dramatic appeal. A personal favorite is the story of First Army Lieutenant Vernon J. Baker who led a troop of all black infantrymen to victory near Viareggio, Italy during World War II.

Because of the nature of the piece, it can at times become a little staid and overly sober, but tribute Lang's bravado and the low profile direction of Robert Falls to keep the action moving at a smart pace. An interesting side point of the play is its inherent and unabashed patriotism. Given the country's present quagmire in Iraq, it is refreshing and yes, inspiring to honor the men who simply went about doing what they had been willingly trained to do. That Mr. Lang allows us to hear their stories through him is worthy of a medal itself.

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