"A Civil War Christmas" a walk down history lane at Long Wharf

NEW HAVEN - It’s Christmas Eve, 1864 in Washington, D.C. in Paula Vogel’s ambitious musical play "A Civil War Christmas," making it’s impressive world premiere at Long Wharf Theatre.

Abraham Lincoln has just been re-elected president, the tide of war has turned in favor of the northern forces, and is nearing the conclusion of the country’s devastating Civil War, which ended in April, 1865. Five days after the war’s end, the actor John Wilkes Booth assassinated Lincoln.

Many familiar, along with some less usual Christmas carols are seamlessly woven in among the various vignettes and subplots of the play, including "Peace on Earth," "Rise up Shepherd," "Tidings of Comfort and Joy," "God Rest Yea Merry Gentlemen," "What Child is This?" "O Christmas Tree," and "Silent Night."

The actors all do a excellent job of making the iconic archetypal characters feel personal, such as Jay Russell as the generous and languid Abraham Lincoln, and Diane Sutherland as the complex and troubled historical scapegoat, Mary Todd Lincoln, who famously wore kid gloves once and then tossed away. Guy Adkins plays a self-possessed and determined John Wilkes Booth.

The play’s 14 actors work double-time playing many roles, including mules and horses, giving faces to actual people and events, with some artist license taken by Vogel to make it all fit into one evening. Some of the actors also impressively play musical instruments, such as Brain Tyree Henry who plays an accordion, Drew McVety plays the violin.

The production also highlights the less well-known contributions of African Amercians, as well as Jewish men who fought in the Civil War.

Ora Jones does an outstanding job playing the heartbroken stoic Elizabeth Keckley, a former slave who worked as a seamstress and confidant to Mary Todd Lincoln. Keckley had purchased her freedom and was able to send her son to college, only to learn he died in the war.

Also intense and fine was Marc Damon Johnson who played Decatur Bronson, an African-American Union sergeant, who is a composite of two historic figures, Decatur Dorsey and James Bronson. Johnson plays a decorated hero who is tormented with grief because raiders kidnapped his wife, and he vows to find her and kill them.

The solid multi-level wooden set, designed by James Schuette, is intricate and works well, and is well-used by director Tina Landau. It manages to represent many scenes, from a river, to a blacksmiths forge, to the White House, with ease. The cast moves smoothly as a dynamic whole around the stage.

Mentioned at the beginning and the end of the play, ‘the hope of peace, which may be sweeter than peace itself’ is perhaps true.

The famous and not-so-famous all share a common humanity, and this time of year, and in this fine play, it is a good time to remember that we are all in this life together, and if we don’t learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.

It would be great to see this American original become an annual tradition because it is our story, and one that deserves to be heard over and over again.

A CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS

3 Stars
Location: 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven
Production: Written by Paula Vogel. Directed by Tina Landau. Music supervised, arranged, and orchestrated by Daryl Waters. Musical director Andrew Resnick. Set designed by James Schuette. Costumes designed by Toni-Leslie James. Lighting designed by Scott Zielinski. Sound designed by Josh Horvath. Dialect design by Amy Stoller. Hair, wig and makeup design by Wendy Parson.
Running time: 2 hours with one intermission.
Show Times: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays at 7 p.m., Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. and Saturday matinees at 3 p.m. through Dec. 21.
Tickets: Start at $32. For more information call their box office at 203-776-2287, or visit their website at www.longwharf.org

ACTOR...CHARACTER
Guy Adkins ... John Wilkes Booth, Robert E. Lee, William Tecumseh Sherman, and others
Justin Blanchard ... Chester Manton Saunders, Hay, John Surratt, and others
Susanna Flood ... Raz, Anna Surratt, and others
J.D. Goldblatt ... Ely Parker, Silver, Frederick Wormley, Moses Levy, and others
Brian Tyree Henry ... Willy Mack Walker Lewis, Jim Wormley, and others
Marc Damon Johnson ... Decatur Bronson, James Wormley, and others
Bianca Laverne Jones ... Hannah, Rose, Aggy, and others
Ora Jones ... Elizabeth Keckley, Mrs. Thomas, and others
Drew McVety ... Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Ulysses S. Grant, Ward Hill Lamon, and others
Jay Russell ... Abraham Lincoln, Walt Whitman, and others
Rachel Shapiro Alderman ... Nicolay, Mary Surratt, Clara Barton, Widow Saunders, and others
Diane Sutherland ... Mary Todd Lincoln, Secretary of War Stanton, and others
Scott Thomas ... Lewis Payne, Mosby Raider, and others
Faith Philpot, Malenky Welsh ... Jessa, Little Joe