LA Theatre Works’
Top Secret:The Battle for The Pentagon Papers

Cast Member Bios

Note: This is a partial listing of the key actors. The cast also includes several other well-known faces from television.

John Heard is well known for his starring roles in films such as Big, The Pelican Brief, Beaches, Home Alone, Awakenings, In the Line of Fire and Pollock.  He has turned in many memorable performances on the small screen as well, including guest appearances in such
television shows as “The Outer Limits”, “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”, “Hack”, and all three "Law and Order” series.  He was nominated for a 1987 Cable ACE Award for Best Actor in the TV Movie Tender is the Night and his turn in the 1999 season of “The Sopranos” earned him an Emmy nomination for Guest Actor in a series.  On the big screen, he recently appeared in the feature films The Great Debaters, The Chumbscrubber, Edison, American Gothic, Sweetland, Steel City and The Guardian.

Shannon Cochran is an LA/Chicago based actress. She received Obie and Theatre World Awards for her performance in Bug, by Tracy Letts. She recently created roles in two plays at the Sundance Theatre Festival, This Beautiful City, for the Civilians in New York City, and Ghostwritten, a Goodman Theatre commission. Other recent theatre credits include the world premiere of Bruce Norris’ The Unmentionables at Steppenwolf Theatre, Private Lives at the Long Wharf Theatre, and System Wonderland at South Coast Repertory Theatre. Throughout her 20 year association with Steppenwolf, she has acted, directed and taught, and she is on the staff at the School at Steppenwolf. Her recent film credits include The Ring, Star Trek: Nemesis, and The Babe, and she will begin filming Oliver Stone’s Pinkville this spring. She currently has a recurring role on the upcoming Fox series, “The Oaks”, and her recent guest-starring appearances include “Grey’s Anatomy”,“The Unit”, “The Office”, “Without a Trace”, “Close to Home”, and “Law & Order: SVU”.

John Vickery’s credits include: Broadway: ‘Scar’ in The Lion King, The Sisters Rosensweig, The Real Thing, Eminent Domain, Ned and Jack, and Macbeth.  Off Broadway: The Vampires, The Death of Von Richtoffen, Henry IV, Part I, American Days, and Looking Glass.  Regional credits include The Lion King (Los Angeles), Arcadia (Mark Taper Forum), The Black Rider (Ahmanson), The Royal Family (McCarter Theatre), I Hate Hamlet (Royal George), The Cherry Orchard and The Misanthrope (South Coast Rep). Film: Dr. Giggles, Rapid Fire, Big Business, Patriot Games, Murder by Numbers and Out of Bounds. Television: “NCIS”, “Without a Trace”, “Frasier”, “NYPD Blue” and “Judging Amy” among many others. John has appeared with L.A. Theatre Works numerous times including Bunbury, Becket, Nora, Broken Glass, This Town, The Third Man, The Sisters Rosensweig, and the National Tour of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial as Cpt. Queeg.

Gregory Harrison’s career spans television, film and theater.  Starring in over 40 movies-of-the-week, including Breaking the Silence, For Ladies Only, Robin Cook’s Mortal Fear, Murder at 75 Birch, and the mini-series Centennial, Fresno, and Nothing Lasts Forever.  The latest two movies-of-the-week were record breakers; First Daughter for TBS was viewed by the largest movie audience of all time for basic cable and Au Pair was the most watched program in the 22-year history of the Family Channel.  Television series include the new Safe Harbor, New York News, Family Man,, Falcon Crest, Logan’s Run and Trapper John M.D.  He has also most recently had recurring roles on Ed, Judging Amy, and Strong Medicine.  Films include It’s My Party, North Shore, Razorback, Running Wild, and the recent Air Bud II:  Golden Receiver for Disney.