Johnny 10 Beers' Daughter

Iraq war veteran Johnny 10 Beers retreats into a life of seclusion; however, when his daughter follows his footsteps and enlists in the marine corp, Johnny finally finds the one thing that brings him back to society.

“This story is tight. Formby opens our eyes to the overlooked victims of war. Their pain is real. And their stories are the kind no one wants to believe happen. The drama is intense yet Formby peppers the dialogue with humor. She also digs deeper for a stunning reveal that is unforgettable. JOHNNY’s 10 BEER DAUGHTER is the trifecta of writing, directing and acting. A must see!”
-Katy Walsh,The Fourth Walsh

Dana Lynn Formby’s tight, intense drama, being given its world premiere by Something Marvelous, isn't an easy play to watch—or to turn away from...
Formby tells her story well; hours after the play ended I found myself still brooding over the fates of these two lost souls.
-Jack Helbig, Chicago Reader

Johnny Ten Beers' Daughter is surprisingly apolitical. The characters' suffering — and they suffer plenty — isn't portrayed as a failure of the Department of Veterans' Affairs or of any elected officials. Nobody even questions whether a second generation of soldiers should be heading to Iraq. Instead, the Iraq War is treated as an immutable fact of life, something that's always been happening and will always happen. That is, perhaps, more heartbreaking than something more pointedly political could be.
-Adelaide Lee, TheaterMania

The hero of this world-premiere play, former Gunnery Sergeant John Russell—nom de guerre, Johnny 10 Beers ( because "nine aren't enough" ) is not the first North American white male to find a home in the warrior culture of the United States Marine Corps, nor is he the only military man who, lacking sons, raised his daughter to pledge unswerving loyalty to the creed at the foundation of his call to arms. Be advised, though, that awareness of this precedent will not prepare you for Dana Lynn Formby's exploration of war's hidden toll.
- Mary Shen Barnidge, Windy City Times