Just returned from seeing Rappahannock County, at the Harrison Opera House, with Leya. It was a 5 performer, 17 musician production with a sparse, black box sort of set including projected backgrounds.
In the playbill lyricist Mark Campell commented, "Is a theatrical work about the Civil War still relevant? Let's see. Between the time I was engaged to write this piece and now, Obama was elected. A South Carolina congressman thought it acceptable to shout 'You lie!' at him during a speech. Texans are demanding 'states rights'. Conservative pundits claim the Civil War was not about slavery. And LGBT couples are still 'Jumpin' The Broom.' Yes, we've progressed; but many of the same battles we fought 150 years ago go on." The show was a bridge between Broadway and opera. Very minimalist in style and structure this non-linear collection of stories, in almost poetry like form set to music, capture tiny glimpses of life in Virginia during each year of the war. It's minimalist goals contrast with most films I've seen on the subject which are big and dramatic and try to deal with the themes of the Civil War with broad dramatic epic tones. As the previous quote illustrates, the writers were drawing parallels regarding much of what's happening with politics and war in America today. An interesting take on the subject.
In the playbill lyricist Mark Campell commented, "Is a theatrical work about the Civil War still relevant? Let's see. Between the time I was engaged to write this piece and now, Obama was elected. A South Carolina congressman thought it acceptable to shout 'You lie!' at him during a speech. Texans are demanding 'states rights'. Conservative pundits claim the Civil War was not about slavery. And LGBT couples are still 'Jumpin' The Broom.' Yes, we've progressed; but many of the same battles we fought 150 years ago go on." The show was a bridge between Broadway and opera. Very minimalist in style and structure this non-linear collection of stories, in almost poetry like form set to music, capture tiny glimpses of life in Virginia during each year of the war. It's minimalist goals contrast with most films I've seen on the subject which are big and dramatic and try to deal with the themes of the Civil War with broad dramatic epic tones. As the previous quote illustrates, the writers were drawing parallels regarding much of what's happening with politics and war in America today. An interesting take on the subject.
