In time for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps in November, a new play by Joshua Crone serves as an entertaining, moving, and thought-provoking tribute to military veterans. A former Marine, Yellow Bicycle Theater founder Crone wrote, directs, and acts in “A Marine Walks Up the the Pearly Gates,” a play with a clever premise (casualties of war from each of the major battles the Marines were involved in, from the American Revolution to Afghanistan, arrive at the gates of heaven) that pays off with sharp writing and heartfelt performances.
A minimalist setting and uniform costuming keep the audience focused on the actors, each one fully embodying the layered character he or she portrays. Every performance from the eight actors is strong and naturalistic, particularly those by Michael-Eoin Stanney, who shines as Patrick Kaine from the American Revolutionary War, Crone as Tennessee Marine Prescott from the Second Seminole War, and Thoeger Hansen as haunted Korean War POW Tilman Young.
Lighting and shadow projections specifically designed for the 36-seat black box theater create different environments as the Marines recount their wartime experiences. The intimacy of the space heightens the emotional weight of these stories. In clever dialogue that never feels forced or didactic, the audience gets an education into the history of the U.S. Marine Corps, how the institution has survived and evolved over the course of its history. We learn about Navajo Code Talkers of WWII and how the “Devil Dogs” earned the nickname. It’s compelling to imagine the conversations that Marines from different eras might have, their shared experiences and their differences. In one moment of levity, a WWI veteran is shocked to learn that there’s been another World War. In another, a Marine from an earlier war hears about the iconic “Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima” photograph and asks, “What’s a photo?” Crone doesn’t shy away from examining the dark sides of his characters as well as of war and its psychic repercussions.
Literary references and poignant moments land beautifully. A surprising musical number, strategic use of repetition, a scene with a symbolic wooden box, and a striking final image are powerful. “A Marine Walks Up to the Pearly Gates” is both haunting and hopeful, and wholly original.
“A Marine Walks Up to the Pearly Gates” runs through September 27, 2025, at Yellow Bicycle Theater, 1435 Arch St., Fl. 2., Philadelphia.
ARTIUM: OMNI 