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Laughlin members don Army uniforms, get 'Biloxi Blues'

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Austin M. May
  • 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
DEL RIO, Texas --  Airman 1st Class Dan Burns is a life support technician with the 47th Operations Support Squadron by day.

At night, however, the mild-mannered Burns sheds his Air Force uniform and dons... an Army uniform?

Airman Burns plays Eugene Morris Jerome, the lead character in "Biloxi Blues," playwright Neil Simon's story about a handful of Army Soldiers going through basic training in the early '40s, right in the middle of World War II. The play is the latest production by the Upstagers, a local theater group that employs several volunteers from Laughlin.

"[The role is] not all that different from my regular life," Airman Burns said. "It's not a big stretch to play a young military guy serving at a time when his country is at war."

Airman Burns, for whom this is his second play with the Upstagers, is joined on stage by several fellow XLers with varying levels of acting experience.

For Staff Sgt. Jason Bremer, also a 47th OSS life support technician, Biloxi Blues marks his on-stage debut.

"The whole experience has been more fun than I expected," he said. "It's a lot of work, but it's totally worth it."

Staff Sgt. Keith Lewis, an Aerospace Physiology technician with the 47th Aeromedical Dental Squadron, plays Sergeant Toomey, a drill sergeant who makes the new recruits feel "welcome" in the Army.

"This role gives me the opportunity to be someone I'm not," Sergeant Lewis said. "In the play, I'm a loud, slathering, psychotic drill sergeant. That's totally not me in real life," he said, laughing.

Laughlin members who want to see Sergeant Lewis and the rest of the cast step out of their lanes and into character are being offered a special opportunity by Fred Brockwell, the founder of the Upstagers. March 1, which will be the final showing of the play, has been deemed "Laughlin Night."

"This is the second time we've done a play with a special night for Laughlin personnel," said Brockwell. "The base has played such a vital role in the success of the Upstagers that we want to give something back."

For Laughlin Night, tickets will be offered at a discounted rate, and are available to anyone with an affiliation with the base. They are available for $6 at Outdoor Recreation, or at the Paul Poag Theater box office with proper identification.

Brockwell said the high turnover rate of people at Laughlin keeps the group fresh, and audiences don't always see the same actors playing different roles. Volunteers from all over Laughlin fill a number of roles within the Upstagers, with more than a dozen currently holding vital positions.

The play is a comedy, but is not recommended for children due to strong language and adult themes. It has been on Broadway since 1985, and was adapted into a movie in 1988. Biloxi Blues can be seen at 8 p.m. Feb. 22, 23, 29 and March 1 at the Paul Poag Theater.