Getting into the role of Eugene Morris Jerome in the play “Biloxi Blues” involved more for Scott Siepker, senior in psychology, than just putting on the uniform.

“I’m 22 years old and I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life, and my character was a terrible smoker,” Siepker says. “This play is the first time I’ve ever smoked.”

Siepker has found he has several things in common with his character, Eugene.

“Eugene is also a terrible dancer, like me and extremely naive just like me, so we had both those things in common.”

Putting on his army uniform, however, was the most powerful experience for him.

“The first time I got into my ‘Class As’ for rehearsal, I put on my cap and tilted it a little to the right side,” he says. “Then I looked in the mirror, and I got goose bumps. I’m kind of a romantic chump when it comes to World War II and that era.”

The comedic play, loosely based on the life of its writer, Neil Simon, follows Eugene during his time at a boot camp in Biloxi, Miss. filled with quirky bunkmates, local ladies and an intolerable Sergeant Toomey.

“It was an optimal script, especially for someone who is of a college student age. The character was attractive, funny, sad, just everything in the spectrum,” Siepker says. “I was essentially playing the part of Neil Simon, and one day I’ll look back and know that I played a prestigious role.”

Kathy Pingel, director of the play, says she would be surprised if audience members walk away from the play without falling a little bit in love with Siepker as Eugene.

“He’s very much up to playing this large role, playing the role of Neil Simon,” she says. “He’s charming in front of an audience, serves the play well and invites audiences to be a part of it.”

Siepker also enjoyed working with Pingel, as well.

“Working with Kathy Pingel was great; she has 30 years of experience and is phenomenal,” Siepker says. “It was a really great experience.”

The play also includes many themes Pingel believes are present in today’s world.

“There are many serious issues of today brought up in the play: Homosexuality, anti-Semitism, racist behavior, prostitution and essentially a character having to serve a country you love and a war that you hate,” Pingel says.

Siepker says in one scene Sergeant Toomey has a battle with another character because he wants to make the soldier obedient and develop a killer instinct, almost to the point where he wasn’t human.

“There’s a philosophical struggle of how you train killers, and that’s still a universal theme in war today,” he says.

Pingel says the audiences have been “extraordinarily receptive” to the play, which opened June 3, and have verbally responded to what is going on onstage.

“When Sergeant Toomey walks onstage at a certain part, I’ve been hearing a few ‘uh-oh,'” she says. “Normally, audiences are quieter.”

Spieker says he’s had great experiences with the play, despite the fact he auditioned on impulse.

“It’s a funny story, actually,” Siepker says. “My girlfriend told me about the role and I went down to Des Moines on kind of a whim.”

Siepker has been involved in other productions and with Iowa State’s theater as well, but this time he had to drive to Des Moines for rehearsals, which started during Dead Week and Finals Week.

“I would have driven farther than Des Moines if I had to,” Siepker says. “I love doing this kind of thing.”