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Top Secret, 2008 Edition
“A cantankerous press must be suffered by those in authority in order to preserve…the right of the People to know.”With these words, a Federal judge hands a momentous victory to the American press in 1971. When the Washington Post decides to publish the infamous Pentagon Papers detailing U.S. involvement in Vietnam, the Nixon Administration will stop at nothing to suppress it. In the tradition of THE GREAT TENNESSEE MONKEY TRIAL, this riveting docudrama follows the intrepid Post reporters as they struggle to balance free speech and national security.
Audio CD
First published March 28, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 23, 2025
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.
Borrowed this from my library and am looking at more audios from the same production company.
July 3, 2024
2.5 ⭐️
August 27, 2020
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.
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.
May 1, 2023
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.
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.
January 1, 2024
"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!"
"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!"
October 20, 2022
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.
May 19, 2023
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.
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.
December 12, 2024
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.
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.
May 8, 2023
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.
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.
May 29, 2017
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.
October 5, 2019
This is a wonderful, riveting, nail-biting performance of a great one-act play.
June 10, 2023
Interesting, if disconnected, telling of the Watergate scandal.
June 20, 2023
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Lettuce Craft Reading Prompts 2023: historical figure
Lettuce Craft Reading Prompts 2023: historical figure
Read
June 28, 2023AudiobookSYNC syncYA book pairings Summer 2023
November 15, 2023
3.5 stars
August 13, 2024
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.
June 22, 2025
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.
March 1, 2025
3 stars
Short and interesting; full cast audio.
Topic 7
Execution/Pace 6
Execution/Setup 6
Enjoyment/Engrossment 5
Narration 7
Short and interesting; full cast audio.
Topic 7
Execution/Pace 6
Execution/Setup 6
Enjoyment/Engrossment 5
Narration 7
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews