When retired U.S. Army Green Beret Lt. Col. Scott Mann was told the mission was over, more than 1,000 Afghan lives were still at risk.

In August 2021, as Kabul fell and the Taliban closed in on the city's airport, Mann faced a decision: accept the end of the official mission or continue trying to protect the people he and his fellow veterans had promised not to abandon.

His answer became Operation Pineapple Express, a volunteer rescue effort that helped save more than 1,000 Afghans in danger of losing their lives.

Now, Mann is bringing that story to the stage with "11 DAYS: The Story of Operation Pineapple Express," a one-man, one-act play adapted from his New York Times bestselling book, "Operation Pineapple Express."

The production will be presented at Pensacola State College's Ashmore Auditorium, 1000 College Blvd., Building 8, at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6 and 2 p.m. Nov. 7.

Tickets are $50 plus fees for general admission and $35 plus fees for veterans, active military members and first responders. Tickets are available at www.tfpineapple.org/11days.

All ticket proceeds will benefit Telecom for Vets, a local nonprofit dedicated to helping veterans transition into the private sector through specialized sales training in telecommunications and IT sales.

The play recounts the 11 desperate days of August 2021 when veterans and Afghan allies, working outside official government channels, organized a covert volunteer rescue operation from basements and living rooms across the United States. More than 1,000 Afghan interpreters, commandos and their family members were caught in the crisis.

Mann performs roughly 20 characters from around the globe by himself, creating what organizers describe as an immersive account of an improvised mission that unfolded largely outside the public eye.

“This isn’t just my story,” Mann said. “It’s the story of a team, a mix of retired and active duty U.S. special operations forces, foreign service officers, governmental staffers from both parties, former intelligence officers, and more, who refused to let fear or politics stop them from doing what was right. It’s a story of honor, brotherhood, and courage.”

The production is not presented as a political piece. Instead, it focuses on the human cost of promises made and kept under extraordinary pressure and the decision to continue helping people when the official mission had ended.

Mann's own journey to the stage is intertwined with the story. After retiring following 23 years of military service, he struggled with his mental health and nearly took his own life. Storytelling, including an acting class, helped him reclaim a sense of purpose and better understand his mental health journey.

That experience eventually led Mann to establish Task Force Pineapple, a nonprofit founded around the idea that storytelling can be a powerful tool for healing from fear and trauma while helping veterans be seen as people rather than political symbols.

The production's recent New York City run attracted Tony Award-winning producer Michael Lamon, established playwrights, veterans, NYU theater students and members of the general public. Nearly every audience member remained afterward for extended conversations.

The response, organizers said, was consistent: “I had no idea. This is a story everyone should know.”

Actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise heard about the New York run and has since joined the effort to bring the production to communities nationwide.

Each performance includes a facilitated post-show community conversation with Mann and members of the Task Force Pineapple team. The conversations give audience members an opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with people who experienced the events.

The production is part of a 2026 national tour bringing "11 DAYS" to stages and audiences across the country.

Those interested in bringing the production to a theater in their community can contact info@tfpineapple.org.