LAST OUT: Elegy of a Green Beret Delivers on Authenticity and Hits Home for Many Veterans
by Amy Forsythe
I had been seeing a few photos and other reviews about the movie and theater performance on social media so I jumped at the chance to see the play LAST OUT: Elegy of a Green Beret when it came to the California Center for the Arts in Escondido, near San Diego, on May 5, 2023. I was completely blown away by the authenticity, lighting, sound effects and choreography.
The premise of the play centers around the experience of a Green Beret reflecting on his own mortality and multiple combat deployments while simultaneously juggling marriage and raising a family. U.S. Army Lt. Col. Scott Mann (Ret.), a combat veteran of Afghanistan, wrote the play and assembled a talented cast and crew to create an experience most veterans can relate to after our country supported nearly 20 years of sustained combat operations.
Last Out delivers on its promise to give the audience a powerful and moving experience that you won’t find anywhere else. The production is in partnership with the Gary Sinise Foundation based in Los Angeles and is rooted in a similar theater production from a previous generation.
“Nearly 40 years ago, I had the good fortune of directing the Vietnam War drama Tracers at Steppenwolf Theatre in…