From the M*A*S*H Library 49: M*A*S*H Theater Play

What is it?

Kelly, Tim. M*A*S*H: A Full-Length Comedy. Chicago: The Dramatic Publishing Company, 1973.

Kelly, Tim. M*A*S*H: A One-Act Cutting. Woodstock, IL: The Dramatic Publishing Company, 1973.

Why should M*A*S*H fans care?

The original M*A*S*H novel not only led to a successful film and television series, it spawned an adapted play that has been performed on stages for the last 50 years. The play is based on the characters and events from the novel and movie, but it is a great read (and I’d like to see it performed)!

As a M*A*S*H fan, what part(s) should I read?

All of it! It is a play, and the books are written like one. It’s like reading a M*A*S*H script.

TL;DR Review

The M*A*S*H play came out of the success of the 1968 novel and 1970 movie just as the television series was being developed. While it may not have some of the characters familiar to fans of the series, it is still an entertaining read. The characters of M*A*S*H adapt well to the stage, and while the story is not new, it interesting to see how the 4077th was adapted to yet another medium.

Full Review

When the Richard Hooker novel M*A*S*H was published in 1968, there was little fanfare. As a fictionalized memoir from the Korean War, it did catch the attention of the American public. However, when Robert Altman adapted the novel to a a film starring Donald Sutherland and Elliot Gould, it proved to be very popular when it was released in January 1970. The anti-war, dark comedy appealed to an American audience in the height of the Vietnam War. Fox was so happy with the success of the film that they adapted the novel and movie for television. The series M*A*S*H debuted on CBS in September 1972. At the same time, Tim Kelly adapted the M*A*S*H novel and film into a multiple act (and later an abbreviated one-act) theater play that could be performed by theaters across the country and world.

The full length play takes place over two acts and contains a total of twenty six scenes. In it, the audience follows the antics of Hawkeye and Duke as they join the 4077th MASH during the Korean War. They join an existing cast of characters including Col. Blake, Radar, Captain Burns, Major Houlihan, Father Mulcahy, General Hammond, and other familiar faces. The storyline largely follows the successful novel and movie. There are changes since the storyline had to be able to adapt to the stage, but it would be familiar to M*A*S*H fans. The play was also cut to a one act production that reads much quicker than the full version. The storyline is the same, but it keeps the actors, and the jokes, moving so the play is roughly half the length. Having two version gave theaters and schools the option of performing M*A*S*H.

While M*A*S*H fans may be disappointed that the play is based on the characters from the novel instead of the television series, it is a well constructed production. The full length play book provides full characters bios, stage directions, costumes, sound effects, and a recommended layout of the sets. It contains everything a community theater group or school would need to put on a performance of M*A*S*H in their hometown. Reading the M*A*S*H play is fun, but I would really like to see it performed. As I have said multiple times with scripts, it is one thing to see the words on page, but it is completely different seeing them acted. The play seems to be popular, and it is still in print today. I’ve found listings where it has been performed as recent as October 2025. The fact that M*A*S*H continues to be available in several mediums (novel, movie, television, and play) contributes to its staying power in popular culture.