OCEANSIDE — Former Army Capt. Mike Vopatek has lived a life of adventure, growing up as a Navy brat in states across the country — from Hawaii to Washington, D.C. — serving overseas in Germany and Vietnam, protecting fellow soldiers and civilians in harrowing combat operations, and raising a family while working as a financial adviser.
Now, at 84, he has discovered a new talent: playwriting.
Vopatek moved with his wife to the Hacienda Mission San Luis Rey community in Oceanside two years ago to be closer to his children and grandchildren. He discovered playwriting after joining a class at the Oceanside Public Library, where his final assignment was to create a humorous, one-act play inspired by his time as a young cadet at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Although he discovered playwriting later in life, Vopatek recalled that during his time as a cadet, he was often tasked with entertaining upperclassmen with short plays, jokes and skits. He continued performing during his military service to amuse senior-ranking officers, though he never considered himself much of an actor or writer.
After completing the one-act play, Vopatek took on his next project — writing and staging a two-act play inspired by his service in the Vietnam War.
“I was with the Vietnamese at their level trying to defend and protect them,” Vopatek said, noting his assignment included working closely with a local orphanage to help children and nuns.
The two-act play takes on a more serious tone than the humorous one-act production, though it includes moments of humor between scenes of war.
One of the most significant scenes in the play — which also occurred in real life — involves the digging of a secret underground escape tunnel. Vopatek and fellow soldiers dug the tunnel in case a traitor allowed the enemy into their camp.
“We never knew who we could trust,” he said.
The tunnel later saved the soldiers when a traitor surfaced.
“Someone let the enemy through the front gate to kill us in the middle of the night,” he said. “They survived because of the tunnel.”
The play ultimately reveals the traitor’s identity. In real life, Vopatek said he did not learn who it was until years later.
Working with his playwriting instructor, Gill Sotu, Vopatek recruited a local director and actors to bring the production to life at The Hacienda, which created a theater space to support the play.
The performance resonated with fellow residents, many of whom lived through the Vietnam era. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, regardless of where residents originally stood on the controversial war.
Based on audience reactions, Vopatek said viewers also appreciated what happens to the main character—inspired by Vopatek — after the war.
“The audience really liked the fact that these people went on and lived productive lives,” he said. “They can relate to individuals in the play, and the actors did a really good job of portraying that.”
Looking ahead, Vopatek hopes to connect with producers and theatrical directors who may take an interest in the play and bring it to larger stages across the region and beyond.
“I just want the opportunity to meet them, tell them what the story is about, and leave a copy of the script with them,” he said.
Vopatek’s story serves as a reminder that life goals have no age limit. He continues to share his experiences with younger audiences in local schools and beyond, encouraging them to explore their passions and pursue their dreams at any stage of life.
