What to say in this brief post other than that Herman Wouk’s The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial at Judson Theatre Company was one of the happiest and most artistically rewarding work experiences of my professional life? I rarely write posts like this, but it’s true.
The cast was talented, easy to work with, and professional. They arrived prepared and proceeded to work conscientiously and diligently to make the show the best it could be given the time and resources we had. Sometimes you get one or the other, but a cast that’s both happy and hardworking is a true blessing. Everything flows from that, and we were fortunate to have leaders in the acting company like John Wesley Shipp and David A. Gregory to set the tone. There was also the blessing of our Judson returnees—at this point if there’s a part in a show that fits them, we just offer it to them because they always deliver: Jacob Pressley, Matthew Tyler, and Rick McDermott. And our newbies fit right in, bringing their A game: Rutgers grad Colton Liberatore, who connected us to classmates Jasper Newell and Hamlin Raith, and Thomas Nash Tetterton, who also came highly recommended.
Similarly, our ever-reliable, all-returnee crew was on the job, making sure everything ran smoothly and looked and sounded great. The tone they set as they do their work with little fanfare or fuss contributes to the harmony in the workplace. The extra funds JTC spent getting the costumes and the sound just so were worth it.
The design for the show was simple, almost sparse, but when you’ve got a well-written script and an excellent acting company, you’ve got a great show that doesn’t need tricks or special effects. The play itself is a bit of a masterpiece: as an example of how to adapt something, as a unique combo of the military-courtroom-thriller play, and as a standalone work that will always be relevant and engaging.
Why isn’t this play performed more often? The audiences we had responded to it on a deep level.
I’m usually just fine at goodbye time on the day the company leaves, but this time it was tough. My emotions came to the surface a little more, because collectively we had all just had something wonderful happen, and then it was over. But is it ever over, when it comes to doing good work with people you like and respect?
The cast of Judson Theatre Company’s 2025 production of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.
(Photo: David Sinclair Photography)