The new musical Dogfight premiered Off-Broadway in 2012 with a breathtaking score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, accompanied by a thought-provoking book by Peter Duchan. A sensational adaptation of Nancy Savoca’s 1991 film by the same name, the musical blends comedy and drama into a tale of love, friendship, and personal growth.

In 1963, the night before leaving as U.S. Marines for Vietnam, Eddie Birdlace (Colton Berry) and his two closest friends, Boland (Luke Hamilton) and Bernstein (Jordi Viscarri) land in San Francisco. As a last “hurrah” in the States, the young men decide to have a “dogfight.” Passed down from their enlisted forefathers, the game has each marine bet $50 that their date for the merciless party will be judged the most hideous and unfortunate girl. Boland attempts to rig the game by straying from the rules and hiring a toothless prostitute, Marcy, (Derrien Kellum) as his date, promising her a share of his prize if they win.

Meanwhile, Birdlace meets the simple and kindhearted Rose Fenny (Blair Wingfield) and quickly encourages her to come to a party with him. Not knowing the nature of the date, Rose is taken aback and refuses at first but eventually gives in to her overwhelming desire to go on her first date. Upon arriving at the seedy club, Birdlace suddenly has a change of heart, realizing that Rose is completely undeserving of such cruel treatment, and attempts to spare her from the contest. After the winner is crowned, Marcy reveals the truth to Rose, and the course of Birdlace’s short remainder of time in the United States is drastically changed.