{"id":29383,"date":"2026-03-23T17:23:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T17:23:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=29383"},"modified":"2026-03-23T17:30:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T17:30:22","slug":"neil-simon-play-on-solders-life-stateside-during-wwii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=29383","title":{"rendered":"Neil Simon play on solder’s life stateside during WWII"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Biloxi Blues” Finds Humor in World War<\/strong> II<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>at the Florissant Performing Arts Center\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/h1>\n

by Pat Lindsey<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When you see Neil Simon’s “Biloxi Blues” at the Florissant Performing Arts Center next weekend, you’ll forget you’re watching community theater. The Hawthorne Players have selected a cast of eight–six men and two women–who are as professional as any I’ve seen on stage. They’re not only able to convey their fears about serving in World War II, but they’re able to use humor to ease their tensions and tickle the audience.<\/p>\n

This 1985 Tony Award winner for Best Play is directed by Mike De Pope. It’s being produced this year as a tribute to America’s 250th anniversary. As you watch the play, De Pope encourages you to think about what it means to be an American.<\/p>\n

The show opens with five young recruits on a train bound for basic training in Gulfport, Mississippi in 1943. Together they are facing their fears about their future–a tour of duty in Europe to fight the Nazis or a trip to the South Pacific to battle the Japanese. Eugene Morris Jerome, played by Tyler Webster, has decided to keep a journal of his Army Air Corps days and has already begun taking notes about the other four guys in his platoon.<\/p>\n

After a long, hot trip to an even hotter climate, the men are introduced to their steamy barracks and their drill sergeant, Sgt. Merwin J. Toomey, played by Tim Callahan. From the moment Sgt. Toomey shouts his first command, the soldiers realize he has zero tolerance for just about everything. He punishes the men with hundreds of push-ups for committing the least little infractions and orders Arnold Epstein (Joshua Phipps) to latrine and KP duty because he doesn’t like his attitude. Tim Callahan could not have been a better choice for the role of drill sergeant. He’s frighteningly commanding and reminiscent of Lou Gossett, Jr. in the movie, “An Officer and a Gentleman.”<\/p>\n

When the soldiers finally get a weekend pass, they go into town to find some women. Eugene (Webster) is still a virgin and gives a great performance as a nervous young guy anticipating his first time. Rebecca Pasley confidently plays Rowena, the prostitute. After Eugene has bolstered his feelings of manliness, he visits the USO to try to meet a nice girl. That’s when he meets Daisy Hannigan, sweetly played by Hannah Lindsey. Hannah is still a student at a Catholic school and there’s not a chance Eugene will have the same experience with her as he had with Rowena.<\/p>\n

In spite of the seriousness of war and the rigor of boot camp, there are lots of laughs in this show. There is also a small amount of foul language and sexual innuendos. Some people believe that this is Neil Simon’s autobiography, but it’s not. Simon didn’t serve in the war. Instead, he has made the character of Eugene similar to himself and is telling a fictional story of World War II.<\/p>\n

“Biloxi Blues” is a comedy\/drama loaded with dialogue. Every actor in this show delivered his\/her lines professionally with passion and perfect comedic timing. Jake Christoph, who plays Joseph Wykowski, is making his acting debut, but you’d never know it. Jacob Baxley is making his Hawthorne debut as young recruit Roy Selridge and as Sound Designer. Tanner Garren is returning to the Hawthorne Players as James J. Hennesey, a member of the platoon. Bravo to all the actors for a job well done! And kudos to Director Mike De Pope for bringing out the best of these young actors, as well as Neil Simon’s timeless script.<\/p>\n

There are three performances–March 27, 28, 29– remaining for this hilarious show. For tickets, call the box office at 314-921-5678. Prices range from $20-$25.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Biloxi Blues” Finds Humor in World War II\u00a0at the Florissant Performing Arts Center by Pat Lindsey When you see Neil Simon’s “Biloxi Blues” at the Florissant Performing Arts Center next weekend, you’ll forget you’re watching community theater. The Hawthorne Players have selected a cast of eight–six men and two women–who are as professional as any […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"0","ocean_second_sidebar":"0","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"0","ocean_custom_header_template":"0","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"0","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"ocean_post_oembed":"","ocean_post_self_hosted_media":"","ocean_post_video_embed":"","ocean_link_format":"","ocean_link_format_target":"self","ocean_quote_format":"","ocean_quote_format_link":"post","ocean_gallery_link_images":"on","ocean_gallery_id":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,31],"tags":[1800],"class_list":["post-29383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-florissant","category-theater","tag-biloxi-blues-playing-in-florisssant","entry"],"yoast_head":"\nNeil Simon play on solder's life stateside during WWII - flovalleynews.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/flovalleynews.com\/?p=29383\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Neil Simon play on solder's life stateside during WWII - flovalleynews.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"“Biloxi Blues” Finds Humor in World War II\u00a0at the Florissant Performing Arts Center by Pat Lindsey When you see Neil Simon’s “Biloxi Blues” at the Florissant Performing Arts Center next weekend, you’ll forget you’re watching community theater. 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