Guide to 'A Few Good Men' on Broadway starring Bradley Whitford and Tom Blyth
Aaron Sorkin's first major work is revived at Lincoln Center by Michael Arden, starring Bradley Whitford and Tom Blyth.
Summary
- Aaron Sorkin’s 1989 play A Few Good Men returns to Broadway starring Bradley Whitford and Tom Blyth
- Performances run October 8 to January 10 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater
- The play follows a military lawyer who uncovers corruption in the ranks
- It was adapted into an Oscar-nominated 1992 film
- A Few Good Men features the famous line “You can’t handle the truth!”
There are a few good shows coming to Lincoln Center Theater’s Vivian Beaumont Theater this season, and the first is a Broadway revival of Aaron Sorkin’s breakthrough work, the military legal thriller A Few Good Men. First performed on Broadway in 1989, the play made Sorkin’s name and became an Oscar-nominated movie three years later.
This new production, running for 13 weeks starting October 8, is directed by multi-Tony-winner Michael Arden (Parade, Maybe Happy Ending, The Lost Boys) and stars Bradley Whitford (The West Wing, The Handmaid’s Tale) — who appeared in the original production — and Tom Blyth (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Billy the Kid) in his Broadway debut.
Don’t miss this masterful early work from one of America’s most decorated contemporary writers. Get a few good answers to your FAQs about the play below.
Check back for information on A Few Good Men tickets on New York Theatre Guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is A Few Good Men about?
A Few Good Men is a military legal thriller set in Guantanamo Bay following the death of a struggling private. Two Marines are accused of committing his murder, and the two military lawyers defending them uncover a culture of hazing and conspiracy at the highest levels. The show features a murder that may be a cover-up, a case riled by secrecy, and fights to both hide and bring out the truth — for those who can handle it.
Where is A Few Good Men playing on Broadway?
A Few Good Men is at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in Lincoln Center, located at 150 West 65th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The Vivian Beaumont seats 1,080 audience members, and its most recent production is the Tony Award-winning revival of Ragtime.
A Few Good Men will be succeeded at the theatre by The Sound of Music in the spring.
How long is A Few Good Men?
A Few Good Men runs approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes with an intermission.
What is the age requirement for A Few Good Men?
A Few Good Men is generally recommended for ages 14 and up due to mature themes and explicit language. Please note that children under 4 are not permitted in Broadway theatres.
What days is A Few Good Men playing on Broadway?
A Few Good Men runs from October 8, 2026 to January 10, 2027. The show generally has eight performances a week, with two shows on Wednesdays and Saturdays and no shows on Mondays.
The standard schedule is subject to one-off changes, particularly around holidays. Visit New York Theatre Guide's A Few Good Men page for a complete performance calendar.
When did A Few Good Men premiere?
A Few Good Men premiered at Broadway’s Music Box Theatre in November 1989, directed by Don Scardino. The cast was led by Tom Hulce (Amadeus) as Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee, and the production played over 500 total performances. Three years later, Sorkin turned his play into an Oscar-nominated film released in December 1992.
The 2026 Broadway revival of A Few Good Men begins performances October 8 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater.
Who wrote A Few Good Men?
Aaron Sorkin wrote both the A Few Good Men play and its adapted screenplay. It was his first Broadway play and the piece that brought him to prominence. Sorkin is known for his fast-paced dialogue and use of monologues, exemplified in his multi-award-winning political drama The West Wing (1999-2006). His other TV work includes Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and The Newsroom.
Sorkin won the Oscar for Best Screenplay for The Social Network (2010) and has been nominated three other times for Moneyball, Molly’s Game, and The Trial of the Chicago 7.
His other stage works include The Farnsworth Invention (2007), To Kill a Mockingbird (2018), and a revised book for Lerner and Loewe’s musical Camelot (2023).
Who is in the Broadway cast of A Few Good Men?
A Few Good Men is led by Bradley Whitford as Lieutenant Colonel Nathan Jessep and Tom Blyth in his Broadway debut as Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee.
Whitford made his Broadway debut in the original production of A Few Good Men as Lieutenant Jack Ross before taking over the role of Kaffee. He returned to Broadway in 2009 in the farce Boeing-Boeing, and he's known for his Emmy-winning TV performances in The West Wing, Transparent, and The Handmaid’s Tale.
Blyth has starred in the film The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes as Coriolanus Snow, the western series Billy the Kid in the title role, and the Netflix romcom People We Meet on Vacation as Alex.
A Few Good Men characters
A Few Good Men's roster of characters is made up entirely of military personnel involved with two young Marines' murder trial.
- United States Navy JAG Corps Lieutenant Junior Grade Daniel A. Kaffee: A charming lawyer who is initially happy to accept his defendants' plea bargain.
- United States Navy JAG Corps Lieutenant Commander Joanne Galloway: A talented and meticulous lawyer determined to see justice served.
- United States Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Nathan R. Jessep: The commanding officer in Guantanamo Bay.
- United States Navy JAG Corps Captain Isaac Whitaker: The commanding officer in Washington.
- United States Marine Corps Judge Advocate Division Lieutenant Jack Ross: The lawyer supervising the case.
- United States Marine Corps Captain Matthew A. Markinson: Jessep’s colleague.
- United States Marine Corps Lance Corporal Harold W. Dawson: One of the two men accused of the murder.
- Private First Class Louden Downey: The quieter of the two men accused of murder.
- United States Marine Corps First Lieutenant Jonathan James Kendrick: The victim’s platoon commander.
What awards has A Few Good Men won?
The original Broadway production of A Few Good Men earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor (Tom Hulce) and a Theatre World Award for Meghan Gallagher in 1990.
Three years later, the film adaptation earned numerous accolades, including:
- Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Jack Nicholson), Best Film Editing, and Best Sound Mixing
- Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture - Drama; acting awards for Tom Cruise and Nicholson; Best Director (Rob Reiner); and Best Screenplay (Sorkin)
- People's Choice Award wins for Favorite Motion Picture and Favorite Dramatic Motion Picture
- The MTV Movie Award for Best Movie alongside five acting nominations
Is there an A Few Good Men movie?
Yes — Sorkin adapted A Few Good Men into a 1992 movie directed by the late Rob Reiner. The cast was led by Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Kiefer Sutherland. The movie was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture.
A Few Good Men fun facts
Find out a few good facts about the inspiration behind the play and more below.
- A Few Good Men was inspired by a conversation that Aaron Sorkin had with his sister, a lawyer, about a case she was working on.
- Sorkin began penning the play on cocktail napkins while working as a bartender at Broadway's Palace Theatre (while La Cage aux Folles was playing), and he would type up his notes on his word processor after work.
- A Few Good Men is perhaps most famous for the iconic line "You can't handle the truth!," spoken by Jack Nicholson on screen.
- The play's title refers to a Marines recruitment campaign slogan from the 1970s and '80s: “The Marines are looking for a few good men.” The phrase's origins go back to the 1790s, when a Marine captain, in a newspaper ad, asked for "a few good men" to work on his ship.
- Tom Blyth's role of Lt. Daniel Kaffee was originated by Tom Hulce on Broadway and then played by Tom Cruise in the movie. That makes three Toms in the part!
- A Few Good Men received a Hindi adaptation as Court Martial (1991), which inspired the films Shaurya (2008) and Melvilasom (2011).
How to get A Few Good Men Broadway tickets
Get A Few Good Men tickets on New York Theatre Guide. Be sure to get a few good tickets for this rare revival of an early work by a master writer.
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