AUBURN – Barber clippers seem to have a strange power.

Although Delilah robbed Samson of his strength with her shears, there may have been an opposite effect when a few good men submitted to military haircuts Tuesday night for the sake of a part in a play. They may have sat down for the cuts with some hesitation, but there’s no doubt they stood taller, shoulders back, when they arose.

The haircuts were for about a dozen cast members in Community Little Theatre’s upcoming production of “A Few Good Men.” The mass haircuts took place in the backstage gymnasium space at Great Falls Performing Arts Center at the hands of Angela Richards of Hair Connection.

“A Few Good Men” is a drama about the trial of two Marines, so key actors agreed at recent auditions that they would submit to the military “high and tight” style of haircut in order to look the part.

Director John Blanchette was the first to go under the clippers, even though he doesn’t appear on stage.

“It was for solidarity, out of the goodness of my heart – and, besides, I needed a cut and it was cheap,” he quipped.

Blanchette pointed out that there are five active or retired servicemen in the cast. He said he will be relying on them to bring believable military qualities to the show, which opens June 1.

For some, like Blanchette, the haircuts were little more than a trim.

Others gave up several inches of growth.

Probably it was Ian Mulligan, an Edward Little High School student, who sacrificed the most. His dark, curly locks dropped to the floor as the event was recorded on Mulligan’s video camera.

Mulligan, who will be playing Cpl. Howard, said his hair had once been longer – down to his shoulders.

Matt Delamater of Auburn, who plays Lance Cpl. Dawson, one of the defendants, got a somewhat closer cut than his normal style, and he said he thinks the new look on the several men in the cast “will be good advertising around town for the show.”

“It’s good to have some guys in this who have been through it in the military,” said Delamater, who is not a veteran. “I’m excited about this. I’m excited about the haircut, about the whole production, about getting into the role and the character. I think this is one of the best written plays.”

Of all the play’s characters, the actor portraying tough and profane Lt. Col. Jessep comes to the role with a ready-made look and background.

Daniel Goodheart of Vasselboro is a real-life lieutenant colonel in the Army National Guard with 34 years of active service. He is re-creating the role made famous by Jack Nicholson in the 1992 movie that also starred Tom Cruise.

It wasn’t necessary for this career soldier and officer to undergo a haircut. His hair is so short it’s barely perceptible.

Goodheart said, “The whole play talks about the military,” and he said he will help as needed to assure that an appropriate military bearing is displayed on stage.

Goodheart has performed in theater productions in the Waterville area.

When he was told about the auditions for “A Few Good Men,” he said, “Oh man, I thought, there’s this great part and I’ve got to go try out for it. I couldn’t pass it up. It’s such a great opportunity.”

Eric Princeton of Old Orchard Beach, who plays Commander Stone, got a more traditional haircut because his part is a doctor rather than a young Marine.

“I don’t have a military background, but for a few years I was a civilian instructor at the United States Coast Guard Academy,” he said.

“When I was there, I was thoroughly impressed with these 17-, 18- and 19-year-old young men and young women who are willing to give up a major part of their youth to defend ideals.”

Others who went under the clippers were Lloyd Chute of Gray, a West Point graduate, who will play Lt. Ross, Brian Pfohl of Lewiston, who portrays Lt. JG Sam Weinberg, and Bob Bohren of Mexico as Capt. Markinson. Bohren’s father was a World War II combat veteran and his brother was a marine.