The “Last Out” Comes Home

Spring Lake Theatre is known for its Broadway-caliber shows. Wonderful productions of “Me and My Girl,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Bye Bye Birdie” are the staples of what they do best. Playing to continuous sellout crowds, these shows happily whisk patrons off to faraway places like London, Atlantis, and Sweet Apple, Ohio. 

But the theatre’s latest offering this August took its clientele to the most unlikely of lands: the remote outposts of war-torn Afghanistan. The play, “Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret,” was a major shift for our charming seaside theatre, but also a very important one. 

“Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret” is a powerful one-act play written by retired Green Beret Lt. Col. Scott Mann. The story, influenced by Mann’s real experiences, opens with Master Sgt. Danny Patton, who is fatally struck by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan after a confrontation with his superior officer.

Through angel-like narrators, we watch Danny as he flashes back to his youth and military career. He is forced to confront his deepest emotions, covering everything from his love for his stateside wife and son to his heartfelt concern for the Afghans he feels he needs to protect. The production covers all the wounds of war, from PTSD and suicidal thoughts to the depression and constant fear felt by spouses left behind. 

A Homecoming

As the director of development for Spring Lake Theatre, I met with Executive Director Pat Barry and Maj. Eric Peduto in early April to discuss bringing the national touring company, Task Force Pineapple, to perform the play in town. But it wasn’t just the play we wanted to bring to our auditorium; the star of “Last Out” is Spring Lake’s own Michael Broderick, a kid from Monroe Avenue who performed on stage in the theatre’s youth workshop productions in the late 1980s. Broderick, a member of the Manasquan High School Hall of Fame, has appeared in numerous TV shows and movies, from season two of HBO’s “True Detective” to “NCIS: Los Angeles.” After confirming that I had the ability to raise the funds needed to bring the show to Spring Lake, we got to work on Broderick’s homecoming. 

Broderick is the perfect man to portray Danny Patton. Fit and handsome in his late 50s, he looks like he could still play Danny Zuko from “Grease.” He moves effortlessly across the stage. His dialogue never sounds scripted or forced. A gifted actor, when Broderick is in pain in this role, you feel his pain. When he’s wounded, you feel wounded. And when he wants to commit suicide, you pray that he won’t. 

In life-imitating art, Broderick has had more than his fair share of tragedies. He lost his oldest brother, Bob, in a car accident in 1988. The pain of that day still resonates. Broderick sometimes thinks of Bob during performances to honor his memory. And recently, his 43-year-old brother, James, passed away. Broderick admits he is still processing it. These personal losses only add to the heavy portrayal of Patton. It takes its toll and can wear any actor out. When I asked if playing Patton was more painful or enjoyable, Broderick paused before answering, “Neither. It’s important.” 

And the 400-plus audience members in attendance would agree. The actors, all military veterans or married to veterans, run a roller coaster of emotions in “Last Out.” Former Green Beret Lenny Bruce portrays Patton’s best friend, who tries to escort him to the military heaven, Valhalla. His dual performance as a sweet Afghan grandfather is touching and powerful. 

Stacey Heisler plays Patton’s loving, supportive wife, who lives in constant fear of a “knock on the door” that brings devastating news. She represents not only Patton’s wife, but every military spouse who lives with that fear every day. Navy veteran Josh Berduo plays numerous roles across varying ages. By the time Berduo delivers his emotional monologue about his father’s funeral, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. The cigar-chomping Lt. Col. Perry Blackburn plays the ultimate hard-headed military officer who cares more about doing things “by the book” than caring for the lives of his soldiers or enemies. His strength and power spill across the stage. 

At the end of the production, Patton spiritually gets to say goodbye to his wife and son. He is then resigned to his fate. Bruce’s character tells him to leave his rifle behind. Patton’s war is over. He’s done all he can on earth. Patton places his rifle into his boots and lays his green beret on top, symbolizing the fallen soldier battle cross. He then ascends to Valhalla. Everyone was in tears. 

After the performance, the cast returned to the stage to host a talkback, where the audience could speak directly with the actors. Hosted by the show’s award-winning director, Jason Cannon, veterans from the audience shared their stories. The play is so realistic that it evoked memories of PTSD, of soldiers who committed suicide, of wives caring for children while their husbands are on deployment for years at a time, and of the agony for the soldiers and civilians left behind in Afghanistan in 2021. Safe to say, there has never been a discussion of such pain and longing on the Spring Lake stage. 

The response on social media was immediate and heartfelt: “God bless our military.” “Honest, emotional, moving. It shines a light on the many stories of war and the lasting impact on so many lives.” And numerous people wrote: “Thank you for bringing this important show to our community.” 

Hometown hero Michael Broderick and his troupe touched every heart at Spring Lake Theatre. They brought a community together with compassion, respect, love, and appreciation for our military. Soldiers often avoid saying “goodbye,” as it feels permanent and absolute. Instead, they say, “See you later,” which is a simple reassurance that separation is merely temporary. 

So, Michael Broderick, from your hometown and from Spring Lake Theatre: Thank you for coming home, thank you for telling this story, and thank you for reminding us of the sacrifices made by so many. And to you, Spring Lake says: “See you later.”

Bill Reinhard is a sports columnist for the New York Daily News and the Director of Development for the Spring Lake Theatre. He also is the author of NY Jets great Joe Klecko’s NFL Hall of Fame acceptance speech.