What Adam Driver, Former US Marine, Does For the Military

By Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Have you seen the Last Jedi yet? If not, go, I loved it! And I have a house full of boys that do too. If you are a fan of the Star Wars movies you might know a bit about the actors that play in those movies. One of the new villains in these recent movies is Kylo Ren, played by the actor, Adam Driver.

Did you know that before he started acting, Adam Driver was in the Marine Corps? He joined after 9/11 and served for almost 3 years. He injured his sternum while mountain biking and was medically discharged. After that, he went back to school, ended up at Julliard, and started acting in New York City both on and off Broadway.

His first movie was J. Edger in 2011, in 2012 he started his role in the HBO show Girls and in 2014 was cast as Kylo Ren for the upcoming Star Wars movies.

By Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Even though his career in the military ended years ago, his support for the military did not. In 2008, he founded Arts in the Armed Forces (AITAF.) This organization’s goal is to bring high-quality theater programming for active duty service members, veterans, military support staff, and their families.

AITAF perform’s domestically and around the world and chooses plays that feature diverse themes as well as ages, ethnicities, and experiences. This creates a unique experience for the audience. After each of their performances, the actors will interact with the audience, answering a Q & A and having an informal time to talk to everyone.

The first performance of 2018 will be at Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina on January 5th and 6th. They will be doing a reading of Top Underdog.

In celebration of their 10th year, Arts in the Armed Forces announced the Bridge Award that will grant 10K to a playwright who has or is serving in the military. In addition to the money, they will also stage a professional reading of the play that was submitted. All entries must be received by March 1st, 2018. The winner should be announced around May 1st, 2018. Go to their website for more information.

As you can see, Adam Driver and Arts in the Armed Forces want to bring amazing theater to the military as well as support the talents of those who serve. This is such an important thing as the military is made up of people with all different strengths and talents. Arts in the Armed Forces is one way to help support that.