Top Secret: The Battle for the Pentagon Papers

by Geoffrey Cowan, Leroy Aarons, Philip Abbott (Narrator)

The original version of LATW’s groundbreaking docudrama about the Pentagon Papers, the infamous classified documents about US involvement in the Vietnam War, and how The Washington Post fought the government to publish them.

Includes a 1991 panel discussion with journalists Ben Bradlee, Peter Braestrup, Robert Maynard, Carla Robbins, Robert Scheer, and George Wilson.

Recorded before a live audience at the Guest Quarters Suite Hotel, Santa Monica in March, 1991.

Directed by Tom Moore
Producing Director: Susan Albert Loewenberg
Philip Abbot as Chal Roberts
Irene Arranga as Bailiff/Clerk
Edward Asner as Ben Bradlee
Ed Begley, Jr. as George Wilson
Jack Coleman as Eugene Patterson/Carl Coogan
Richard Dysart as Narrator
Hector Elizondo as Fritz Beebee
Bo Foxworth as The Soldier
Robert Foxworth as Ben Bagdikian
Robin Gammell as Murray Marder
Gerrit Graham as Robert Mardian
Howard Hesseman as Brian Sullivan
Stacy Keach as John Mitchell
Darrell Larson as Darryl Cox
Nan Martin as Meg Greenfield
Marsha Mason as Katherine Graham
Richard Riehle as Lamont Vanderhall
Harry Shearer as Richard Nixon
Joe Spano as Ron Ziegler
James Whitmore as Judge Martin Peel
Harris Yulin as Henry Kissinger

Stage Manager and Sound Effects, Barnaby Harris. Recording Engineer, Steve Barker.

©1991 L.A. Theatre Works (P)1991 L.A. Theatre Works

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, History, Plays

Audible Audio

First published March 28, 1991

Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, this was great! Well produced, well acted, well done. I learned things and was entertained at the same time. Highly recommend!!! Amazing (in a very sad way) how the past is still relevant to the events of today.

Borrowed this from my library and am looking at more audios from the same production company.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️

[Gil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top Secret
The Battle for the Pentagon Papers: 2008 Tour Edition
By: Geoffrey Cowan, Leroy Aarons
Narrated by: John Heard, John Getz, Susan Sullivan, James Gleason, Gegory Harrison, Diane Adair, Geoffrey Wade
Length: 1 hr and 53 mins
Performance
Release date: 08-07-08
Publisher: L.A. Theatre Works

Have I told you lately how much I love these productions from L.A. Theatre Works? Well I do. Because they always have a great cast, the recordings are lifelike and put you in the middle of the audience. I highly recommend seeking out anything produced/published by LATW.

So this story/play is just as it sounds it is a performance depicting the fight between corrupt government and the free press. (funny how this was in the Nixon era, but so much hits home today.

The New York Times has gotten their hands on these "Pentagon Papers" and is about to publish them until the government gives them a scare and they decide to pass on these once (maybe still?) classified documents that show that America cannot win the war in Vietnam. These papers were issued a few years before and the subject matter discussed in them is in the past. The Times passes the papers to the Washington Post which makes the daring decision to publish them.


The Nixon White House insists they are top secret and the press has no right to publish. It could be a breach of National Security and treason for the Washington Post and their other companies.


A trial ensues and that's when it comes out that the government cannot be trusted.

The events were in this play were during a very divisive time in American History and much like today's divisive political atmosphere, proves how important it is for Americans to have a free press.

As always great performances by all and definitely a good listen. There is a bonus recording with this in which the play and its subject matter are discussed in a panel with former Nixon White House counsel John Dean, journalist Robert Scheer, author Geoffrey Cowan, and Congresswoman Jane Harman.

[April · Rating 2 out of 5]

As always, I'm not a fan of full-cast recordings... This wasn't terrible as far as that goes: the voices were distinct and there weren't too many to keep track of.

AND the coverage was superficial and not particularly interesting. There are movies of similar length with far more depth and complexity, so I'm not sure what the value of this short treatment is. Maybe to get young people a very quick introduction? But it didn't really feel like all that much was at stake and the content seemed trivialized considering the enormity of the events.

If you get this for free via Audiosync, it isn't going to take up too much of your time, but beyond that, this is one to skip. There are FAR better treatments out there in different forms.

[Megan Coleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The more conversation, the more democracy in the press that there is, the more chance there is for the rest of us to figure out what the real story is and what we think."

"We did not yet know was that this material would lead to the exposure of an even larger pattern of lying and deception by our government. The door was now open for the stories by Bob Woodward and Karl Bernstein about the Watergate break-in that did so much to cause Nixon to give up his presidency. And finally... and finally, we could not yet know that the publication of the Pentagon papers would actually help bring the divisive and painful War in Vietnam to an end!"

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Educational and entertaining cast presentation of reading trial transcripts, etc. related to the Nixon administration's attempts to use the courts to prevent the 1971 series of articles based upon the Pentagon Papers published by The Washington Post. The only drawback is uneven volume; some actors seem to be near the microphone and some far.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook Sync 2023

I will say the language in this audio drama was a bit more explicit than I anticipated. It makes an interesting companion to the other week’s pick, You Can’t Say That.

In the panel discussion at the end, the selling of a similar screenplay to the the story was mentioned, which is apt, because the ENTIRE time I listened to it. It reminded me of the 2017 film, The Post starring Meryl Streep.

[Mary Havens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy L.A. Theatre Works productions and I hope to listen to many more.
I didn't know anything about this particular part of history so it was interesting to learn. It's amazing when you uncover parts of history that you never knew existed.
Definitely a must for those interested in journalism.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summer Audiofile SYNC 2023
LA Theatre works productions are always interesting.

I've seen movies with Katharine Graham, Washington Post publisher as a character,
this production helped me see how she was such a powerhouse.
The discussion following was interesting as well.

[Emma Kay Krebs · Rating 3 out of 5]

First act was a lot better than the second half which had some odd mismatched humor, though overall it was very enjoyable and educational. 3.5 stars.

[Michael P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful, riveting, nail-biting performance of a great one-act play.

[Kathy O’Neal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, if disconnected, telling of the Watergate scandal.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

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Lettuce Craft Reading Prompts 2023: historical figure

[Melissa]

AudiobookSYNC syncYA book pairings Summer 2023

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Myra · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. One of the better LATW productions I've listened to. Fairly superficial in some ways, but told me just enough to get me interested in finding more material on the subject.

[Thomas Kelleher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This should be read and performed during this presidency. This feels like it is pulled directly from the trump administration and their over reach into the media, free press and free speech.

[Susy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars
Short and interesting; full cast audio.

Topic 7
Execution/Pace 6
Execution/Setup 6
Enjoyment/Engrossment 5
Narration 7