Benjamin, of Dunkirk, is part of the cast of Biloxi Blues, a play that is being performed by the Jamestown Community College Uncommoners.

“I think that’s incredibly cool,” Benjamin said of being cast as Pvt. Don Carney.

Benjamin’s only other theater experience was he was cast in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 at JCC in the fall of 2025, and said he loved the experience.

“But I decided that acting was a fun hobby of mine that I wanted to explore,” Benjamin said.

From bottom left Noah Benjamin, Jared Pierce, Elijah Meyer, Kenneth Marsh, and on top bunk Tristan Howells rehearse their lines for the upcoming performance of Biloxi Blues at Jamestown Community College.

“And I saw that they had auditions here for Biloxi Blues, and I decided to try something new and audition for the play.”

He didn’t participate in theater in high school either.

“I’ve always been interested in it, but I didn’t do it in high school, and I got to college, and I kind of just saw an opportunity, and I decided to give it a shot,” Benjamin said.

Written by Neil Simon, the production offers much more than laughs. Other themes explored in the play include war, abuse, and bigotry. The story follows young Army recruits during World War II as they go through basic training in Mississippi. The humor grows out of their daily lives, but the play also explores deeper struggles. The play won the Tony Award for best play in 1986 and was later made into a film.

“It’s amazing,” Benjamin said of his role. “I think Adam (Hughes) is a great director, and he’s really just helped me understand acting as the function that it is. And I love it.”

Hughes said he chose Biloxi Blues because of the playwright Simon.

“I think he’s a wonderful playwright, and he’s always said that he tries to figure out how he can write a serious situation, humorously, which is what he’s done with this show,” Hughes said.

Hughes also said he chose the play because he knew there would be great opportunities for young actors.

Hughes has a background in theater as he has acted in and directed in musicals and plays at Lucille Ball Little Theater of Jamestown.

At Little Theater he has worked with actors that came to productions with more experience, so he could orchestrate more, but at JCC he is getting to do a lot more teaching and hands-on directing.

“And one (JCC) is no better or worse than the other (Little Theater). They’re just different. (Each) requires a different tool set and a different experience. But they’re both great,” Hughes said.

JCC Arts Program Administrator Mark Sasse also doubles as the show’s producer and technical director. In the producer’s role he gets to sit back and see the production, “but if anything goes wrong, you’re the guy that has to fix it,” Sasse added.

“It’s been a great collaboration with Adam, and I really just try to let him tell the story. We’ll do everything else. We’ll collaborate and bring it all together,” Sasse noted.

Sasse said the set will help bring the story to life. One side of the stage will feature a full barrack. On the other side, a rotating set will shift between the latrine and a bedroom used in key scenes. The opening scene will show a train ride to Biloxi.

“Our goal is to build the outside of the train to give it a little more realistic look to it,” Sasse said. “Things are going to flow really well. It’s not going to stop and slow down.”

Other actors in the cast include both JCC students and community members. The production is student-run, giving students hands-on experience on stage and behind the scenes.

Besides Benjamin, the cast includes other JCC students Kenneth Marsh, playing Roy Selridge, Elijah Meyer playing Joseph Wykowski, and Sunnhi Suber playing Daisy Hannigan. JCC alumni include Jared Pierce as Eugene Morris Jerome, and Jason Sample as Sgt. Merwin J. Toomey. Community members Tristan Howells as Arnold Epstein, and Jon Thompson as James Hennesey. JCC student Rachel LeRoy, and community member Ashley Farnham play Rowena.

The crew includes JCC students Summer Jones, stage manager, Jayla Klein, lighting technician, and Landen Cramer, sound technician, and stagehand Sebastian Tilaro.

Performances are scheduled for March 13, 14, 19, 20, and 21 at 7 p.m. and at 2 p.m. on March 15.

Tickets can be purchased online at sunyjcc.edu/ScharmannTheatre and email ScharmannTheatre@sunyjcc.edu for more information.