STUDY GUIDE

Nov 19–Dec 22, 2013

FORWARDS

BEFORE THE SHOW...

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A CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS:

An American Musical Celebration

B y Pa u l a Vo ge lD i re c t e d by Re b e cc a Ta i c h m a n

Welcome to Center Stage and to A Civil War Christmas. We’re thrilled and grateful that you’ve chosen to spend a small part of your holiday season here with us.

A Civil War Christmas is one of those very rare plays that is simply perfect for the here and now. It’s a celebration of place—of Maryland, Washington, and Virginia—and, as we honor the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, an opportunity to reflect on the legacy of that conflict in our own backyard.

And we are delighted to welcome back to Center Stage Pulitzer Prize-winning Playwright Paula Vogel whose deep personal history with, and love for, the richness of our region shines through in each of these characters and stories.

As Director Rebecca Taichman’s players move across character, time, and place, we see painted before us a portrait of a nation at war. From the streets of Washington where a mother searches for her daughter separated on their journey to freedom, we move to the halls of the White House where President Lincoln searches for his own path forward. Mary Todd walks arm-in-arm with seamstress Elizabeth Keckley, each dwelling in memories of her own lost child.

Meanwhile, on both sides of the Potomac, soldiers gather around campfires. Legends like Lee and Grant are here, as are their armies, made up of freed slaves, eager recruits, Quakers, and rebels. In his bed in a Union Army hospital, Jewish veteran Moses Levy and his fellow patients find comfort in the visits of poet Walt Whitman.

Shadows hang over many—Booth and his conspirators are gathering this evening.

It is a play sweeping in breadth and yet Paula’s characters, both historical and fictional, are written with such specificity, integrity, and generosity. Through their stories, as different as they are, we see a common humanity emerge—an undying longing for peace in the face of suffering and war.

And as some of our characters today find warmth and a little comfort around a campfire, we hope that you too will find in this holiday season a new bit of harmony to carry forth into an all too discordant world.

Happy holidays to you, your family, and your friends. Warmly,

— Kwame Kwei-Armah, Artistic Director

THE CAST

* Member of Actors’ Equity Association

Decatur Bronson,James Wormley

Mary Todd Lincoln

Willie Mack, Jim Wormley

Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee

Raz, Lewis Payne

John Wilkes Booth, Ulysses S. Grant

Jessa, Little Joe

Frederick Wormley, Walker Lewis, Ely Parker

Mrs. Keckley

Hannah, Rose

Chester Saunders, John Surratt, Moses Levy

Stage Manager

Assistant Stage Manager 

Oberon K.A. Adjepong*

Kati Brazda*

Tyrone Davis, Jr.*

Jeffry Denman*

Andrea Goss*

Matthew Greer*

Mackenzie Kristine Jarrett &Sierra Sila Weems

Sekou Laidlow*

Tracey Conyer Lee*

Nicole Lewis*

A.J. Shively*

Captain Kate Murphy*

Laura Smith*

CONTRIBUTORS: Editor - Kristina SzilagyiDemaris AlstonDrew BarkerMaggie BeetzRosiland CauthenDustin MorrisKhaleel Perry-El Martin

Callan SilverJoshua Thomas

Special thanks to:Bill GeenenStowe NelsonGavin Witt

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Act I

All Quiet Along the Potomac Tonight/Silent Night

O Come, All Ye Faithful

I Heard the Bells

Follow the Drinking Gourd

Rise Up Shepherd and Follow

I’m A-Gone Away to Shiloh

Marching through Georgia

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

Sew the Collar, Finish the Hem/What Child Is This?

Maryland, My Maryland

The Holly and the Ivy

O Tannenbaum/O Christmas Tree

~ 15 Minute Intermission ~

Act II

Ding Dong Merrily on High

God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman

Roll on the Liberty Ball

The Yellow Rose of Texas/Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming

Balm in Gilead

Silent Night/Mourner’s Kaddish

Children Go Where I Send Thee

Ain’t that A-Rockin’ All Night

O Christmas Tree Reprise

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

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MUSICALNUMBERS

THEATER ETIQUETTE GUIDELINESWe appreciate our younger audiences for the energy and honesty they bring to the theater. Most Center Stage actors will agree that student matinee audiences are their favorite. Please remember that it is important to give as much support as you can to the performers on stage and do your best not to draw attention to yourself during the performance. The following guidelines are intended to help create a positive experience for everyone at the student matinees.

Before the performance:

• Turn off your cell phone and any other electronic devices (iPods, Black-berries, etc.).

• Leave all food and drinks outside or dispose of them before entering the theater.

• Spit out any gum.• Visit the restroom before the performance begins.

During the performance:

• Try to remain still in your seats during the show. If you have to leave, exit during intermission.

• Do not speak during the performance. It can be very distracting to the actors on stage.

• Do not kick or put your feet up on the back of the chairs in front of you.• Please DO laugh or respond appropriately during the performance!

Lastly, theater is communal, which means you are just as much an integral part of the show as the actors on stage. So show respect to your fellow audience members, the staff, the performers, and yourself!

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PLACE: Various locations in Washington, DC and along the Potomac River

TIME:Christmas time, near the end of the Civil War.Viewing the skyline of the nation’s capital in late 1864, one would still be able to recognize the grand symbols of the city. The Capitol dome was finished the previous December, and the Smithsonian Castle completed since 1855. The Patent Office Building (which would eventually house the National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum) towered over its neighbors and the White House stood as we see it today, sans West and East Wings.

After the war began, the population that could be seen on the streets of the capital boomed from 63,000 to as many as 200,000 as soldiers, bureaucrats, laborers, merchants, prostitutes, doctors, and former slaves flooded into the city. Depending upon the weather, the majority those streets were dirt, mud, or icy mud. And when one of Washington’s coldest winters on record occurred in 1864, The Evening Star reported on December 24 that “the Potomac River is still covered with ice and the channels are frozen over.”

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All Quiet Along the Potomac Tonight/Silent NightTraditional German carol, early 19th Century

O Come, All Ye FaithfulOriginally published in Latin as Adeste Fideles, this English carol likely dates to the mid-18th Century

I Heard the BellsLyrics by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on Christmas Day 1863; set to music a few years later

Follow the Drinking GourdAfrican American spiritual, traditionally considered to be a secret map to the Underground Railroad; the Big Dipper constellation, also known as the Drinking Gourd, was used as a Northern reference point

Rise Up Shepherd and FollowTraditional African American spiritual, first documented during the Civil War

I’m A-Gone Away to ShilohOriginally the fiddle tune Secesh, lyrics were inspired by the Civil War Battle of Shiloh; Secesh is a Tennessee term for a Secessionist

Marching through GeorgiaMilitary marching song written during the Civil War, popular among Union veterans

God Rest Ye Merry GentlemenThe most common version today dates to 19th century England, though the tune is found in earlier carols throughout Europe

Sew the Collar, Finish the Hem/What Child Is This? English carol written in about 1865, set to the 16th century tune Greensleeves

Maryland, My MarylandSecessionist lyrics to the tune O Tannenbaum; state song of Maryland since 1939, though the state remained a member of the Union

The Holy and the IvyLikely a medieval interpretation with Pagan origins, probably dating to over 1000 years

O Christmas TreeAn English translation of the original German carol, which was set to an old folk tune in the 19th Century during the popularization of the Christmas Tree

Ding Dong Merrily on High16th century French carol, translated into English at the beginning of the 20th Century

Roll on the Liberty BallSet to the tune of Rosin the Beau; made popular by New Hampshire singing group The Hutchinson Family around 1860

Yellow Rose of TexasTraditional American folk song; unofficial state song of Texas

Lo How a Rose E’er BloomingGerman carol from the late 16th Century

Balm in GileadTraditional African American spiritual; first documented at the beginning of the 19th Century

Children Go Where I Send TheeTraditional African American spiritual

Ain’t that A-Rockin’ All NightTraditional African American spiritual

SONGS

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Sheet music for “Balm in Gilead”

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As you investigate and explore A Civil War Christmas, take a little time to soak in the atmosphere of Maryland, and even more specifically, your Baltimore at the time of the play. You’ll be surprised how much of a hotspot it was.

At a time when the nation was divided into free states and slave states, Harriet Tubman was living right on the border because, believe it or not, she was from Dorchester County, right here in Maryland. She was a “Conductor” of the Underground Railroad, bringing slaves to freedom.

Her work didn’t end there, though. During the Civil War, she worked for the Union Army, and moved up the ranks to an armed scout and spy. She was not only the first black woman, but also the first woman ever to lead an armed expedition in the war. It may be safe to say that Harriet Tubman was #Dangerous.

But that’s not all! Six weeks before the Civil War began, President Lincoln was set to travel through Baltimore. The President’s people caught wind of an assassination attempt in—you guessed it—Baltimore, a city already known around the nation as “Mob Town” for its rampant violence. The president’s guard had to change plans quickly, and they secretly snuck him through the city.

Six weeks later, a group of Union soldiers decided to travel through “Mob Town.” On this day, the city lived up to its nickname, as this group of soldiers was attacked in Baltimore. Twelve civilians were killed in the Riot of April Nineteenth, and on April 19, 1861, the first blood of the Civil War was shed in Baltimore, Maryland, on Pratt Street.

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Harriet Tubman (photo H. B. Lindsley), c. 1870. Baltimore, Washington Monument late 19th century

MARYLAND IN THE CIVIL WARBy Joshua Thomas

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During Center Stage’s production of A Civil War Christmas, you will notice our actors on stage using a variety of objects to create familiar sound effects. This is a specific form of sound design known as Foley art. It is the live reproduction of realistic sounds using props on stage. The mimicked sounds you hear can be anything from horses galloping to rickety wagon wheels. Originally created for radio plays, Foley art has become widely popular in filmmaking. Film designers use Foley art to create ambient noises, or to cover up any unwanted sounds that may have been captured on set during the filming. On stage, we use Foley art to enhance the auditory experience of a scene by composing realistic soundscapes. In order for us to accomplish this, our actors layer the different sounds of their props. For example, while on its own, something like crinkled cellophane might not sound like much, but once you combine it with the sound of popping bubble wrap, you can image a warm crackling fire. You can also put brass BB bullets into a pie tin, and by slowly rotating the BBs around the edge, you create the sound of cold waves crashing on the shore. If you’re interested in learning more about Foley art, and seeing how it’s used, visit Youtube and search “What Is Foley Sound By Sound Ideas” by the SoundIdeasCanada channel, or visit http://ow.ly/qK7Zm.

FOLEY ART

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Foley props in the rehearsal room for A Civil War Christmas

By Dustin Morris

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1. Edwards FerryUnion river crossing and supply depot on the Potomac River, located in Maryland; this is where Decatur Bronson works as a blacksmith.

2. GettysburgThe Battle of Gettysburg was fought in Pennsylvania in July 1863. This was the deadliest battle of the Civil War, and the Union’s success is considered a turning point for the war. President Lincoln re-focused the war’s objectives in his Gettysburg Address at the Gettysburg National Cemetery on November 19, 1863.

3. Long BridgeConnects Arlington, VA, and the National Mall across the Potomac River; also known as the 14th Street Bridge.

4. Point Lookout This peninsula is located where the Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay at the southern tip of St. Mary’s County, Maryland; during the Civil War, it was used as a Union port city; among its buildings were a hospital and a prisoner-of-war camp.

5. Potomac River Flows through Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC, into the Chesapeake Bay; nicknamed “The Nation’s River,” its presence is felt throughout the play and the Civil War.

6. Shenandoah RiverFlows through Virginia and West Virginia into the Potomac River; because of its situation along the North-South border, the Shenandoah River Valley was the site of numerous Civil War battles.

7. Shiloh The Battle of Shiloh was fought in Tennessee in April 1862. Although the Confederate Army led a surprise attack on the Union Army, the Union was ultimately victorious. It was the deadliest battle in American history up to that time.

GLOSSARY

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THE PLACES OF THE PLAY

8. Washington, DC The nation’s capital and the primary setting of A Civil War Christmas.

9. Wilberforce CollegeThe nation’s first private Historically Black College was founded in 1856; named in honor of abolitionist William Wilberforce.

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THE PLACES OF THE PLAY

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THE LANGUAGE OF THE PLAY“BEAT SWORDS INTO PLOUGHSHARES” – a verse from the book of Isaiah in the Bible meaning to turn weapons of war into instruments of peace.THE BLUE ROOM – the most elegant room of the White House, used for receiving guests.BOARDING HOUSE – often a family home where tenants can rent rooms and pay for meals.CALICO – a cotton fabric with a printed pattern.DIVINE SPARK – the animating force within a person; sometimes called soul, spirit, light, or vitality.EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION – President Lincoln proposed this decree in September 1862 following the battle of Antietam that required Confederate states to rejoin the Union by January 1, 1863, or all slaves in those states would be freed. None changed their allegiance, so it took effect on January 1. It did not free all slaves, but Lincoln did not want to provoke the slave states that remained in the Union. The 13th Amendment to the Constitution freed all slaves in December of 1865.HACK CARRIAGE – a carriage for hire; similar to a taxicab.HYPOTHERMIA – dangerously low body temperature resulting from exposure to extreme cold.MOSBY’S RAIDERS – the 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry of the Confederate Army got its nickname from their commander John Mosby; they were known for quick, violent, and surprising attacks on Union supply and communication lines, as well as their ability to evade capture.SIC SEMPER – Latin for “thus ever;” in this context meant to evoke “Sic semper tyrannis,” which means “thus ever to tyrants,” the state motto of Virginia and referenced in the lyrics of Maryland’s state song, “Maryland, My Maryland.”TYPHOID FEVER – an infectious disease; symptoms include fever, coughing, and intestinal disorders.

THE CONFLICT Union – During the Civil War, “the Union” referred to the free states of the United States government and the border slave states (including Maryland). Because the member states were primarily located in the North and West, “the North” was used interchangeably with “the Union.” People from the North were sometimes called Yankees.

Confederacy – The Confederate States of America was a government set up in 1861 by slave states of the South when they seceded from the Union following the election of President Abraham Lincoln. The secession sparked the Civil War, which lasted from 1861-1865. Members of the Confederacy were sometimes referred to as “Rebels.” The South is sometimes referred to as Dixie.

Mason-Dixon Line – The North and the South were roughly separated by the Mason-Dixon Line, which was an imaginary line running along the border between Pennsylvania and Delaware to the north and Maryland and Virginia to the south. In the middle of the war in 1863, the northwestern counties of Virginia seceded from Virginia and rejoined the Union, forming a new state by the name of West Virginia.

ARMY RANKS(highest to lowest)

GeneralBrigadier GeneralColonelLieutenant ColonelMajorCaptainLieutenantSergeantCorporalPrivate

Soldiers of Company E, the 4th US Colored Infantry Regiment, at Fort Lincoln, MD, in 1865

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Decatur Bronson – This character is a compilation of two historical former slaves who went on to became sergeants in the Union Army. Both James Bronson and Decatur Dorsey won the Medal of Honor.

Elizabeth Keckley – The former slave bought her freedom and her son’s freedom. She established herself as a dressmaker for the Washington, DC, elite and became a confidante to Mrs. Lincoln. Her son George was killed in battle during the Civil War.

Abraham Lincoln – The 16th President of the United States’ legacy includes the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment, which freed the slaves. He was self-educated and worked as a country lawyer before going into politics.

Mary Todd Lincoln – President Lincoln’s wife had a reputation for enjoying fine fashion and an expensive lifestyle. Her youngest of three sons, Willie, died at the age of 11 due to illness, most likely typhoid fever.

HISTORICAL CHARACTERS

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Mary Todd Lincoln

Christianity – Christianity is a monotheistic religion that believes Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the savior of humanity, and it is guided by the Bible. Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ, though most historians agree that it is unlikely he was born in December. The date is thought to have been chosen in order to absorb the Pagan winter celebrations, including the Roman Saturnalia, which occurred around the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. The holiday includes feasting, decorating the home, giving gifts (to loved ones as well as to charity), and making music.

Judaism – It is the monotheistic religion of Jewish people guided by the teachings of the Torah. In A Civil War Christmas, the character of Moses Levy is Jewish. Elements of his religious rituals include Seder, which is a feast to celebrate the beginning of Passover. In order to pray publicly for the Seder, Moses Levy organized a minyan, a group of a minimum of 10 adult men. Other traditions include a weeklong period of mourning, called sitting shiva; during this time, services including the recitation of the Kaddish are held at the mourners’ home. Hanukkah, or The Festival of Lights, is celebrated in late November or December to commemorate the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. This year, Hanukkah is celebrated from November 27 through December 5.

Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) – Most Quakers, also known as Friends, consider themselves Christian, though that is not a requirement for the faith. Emphasis is placed on a direct relationship with God, and services reflect that value: while some services have programmed worship (a planned service with a specific message) their meetings can also include waiting worship (a gathering where individuals speak when moved by God instead of according to a planned program). Quaker values include pacifism, treating others well, and simple living. Accordingly, many Quakers do not celebrate holidays, but rather celebrate God everyday through humble living.

Note: Though Kwanzaa is also a winter holiday, it is not included in A Civil War Christmas because its traditions began in the 1960s.

RELIGIONS REPRESENTED

“I’d do what mother would want me to do. I’d pray for him. For the divine spark in every man.”

– Chester Saunders, a Quaker soldier, in A Civil War Christmas

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Playwright Paula Vogel grew up in Maryland. She received a Pulitzer Prize for her play How I Learned to Drive, and in addition to continuing to pen new plays, she teaches playwriting at Yale University School of Drama. We asked her a few questions about A Civil War Christmas:

Center Stage’s Kristina Szilagyi: You mentioned during the first rehearsal that you wrote A Civil War Christmas as “Aunt Paula.” Can you tell me a little more about why you decided to write this play and how “Aunt Paula” played a role in the creation of this piece?

Paula Vogel: My brother Carl asked a deathbed promise: that I would teach the children in our family history. Carl died in 1988 (Center Stage produced The Baltimore Waltz in 1993); it took me a while! This is possibly the first play I’ve written that has family appropriate language.

KS: How did growing up in Maryland influence your writing in this play?

PV: Growing up in Maryland, born in DC, influences everything in my life: a double consciousness/awareness of regional conflict in our present moment; a sense that the Civil War has not been resolved, as well as a sensibility that we the people have not formed a more perfect union in terms of racial justice and gender equality.

KS: How did you approach finding a balance between hope and not betraying an obligation to show the ugly truths of the Civil War and slavery?

PV: Hope is the most urgent civil value: that we can become better. That in the midst of the most horrible time in our country we still needed to make a joyful noise. Cynicism leads to stasis. At this time of year we need to hold onto our faith that together we will rise and overcome.

KS: This piece is very fast, with many short scenes and a small army of characters. Why did you choose this structure for telling this story?

PV: It’s the structure of 19th century plotting both in the novel and on the stage. I wrote this play with great admiration for the Dickensian/George Eliot structures of plot.

KS: Every year, we host a Young Playwrights Festival. Students of all ages from all over Maryland submit plays. What advice would you give to young writers, especially playwrights?

PV: Oh what rich stories are scattered on the Maryland landscape! The advice I give is to be fearless, and to follow what you love. Theater remains a rich life; one is never bored! Best of luck.

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Playwright Paula Vogel (right) and Director Rebecca Taichman discuss the script.

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PLAYWRIGHT

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Foley DIYIt’s easy to become your own Foley sound designer by using everyday objects you might find around your house or school. Let’s create the sound of a horse-drawn wagon!

You’ll need a few things:

•A wall-mounted pencil sharpener

•Two leather belts

•Bells or keys

•One coconut cut in half

Start by shaking the leather belt and cranking the metal wall mounted pencil sharpener. This will represent the wheels of the wagon and the horse’s saddle. Now, quietly shake the bells and clap the two halves of coconuts together. Congratulations, you now have your basic sound of a wagon. Now try experimenting a little with the sound. What happens when the sound is quiet? What happens when it’s loud? Can you make it sound like the wagon is approaching or getting further away?

Here are some other common Foley tricks:

•Corn starch in a leather pouch makes the sound of snow crunching.

•An old chair makes a controllable creaking sound.

•Quarter inch audio tape balled up sounds like grass or brush when walked on.

•Frozen romaine lettuce makes bone or head injury noises.

•A heavy phone book makes body-punching sounds.

•Twisting an empty water bottle makes a neck breaking sound.

What other sound effects can you create using every day items?

Group NarrativeIn this activity, the group will tell a story one word at a time! All players sit in a circle. Each player says one word of a sentence. The sentence can be ended by using the word “period.” If this is too intimidating,

the group can start by telling a story that is familiar to everyone (like Cinderella or The Tortoise and the Hare), and then move on to an original story. As you get better at telling a story together, try to have a beginning, middle, and end in every story.

Historical SketchThe drawing above came from a diary of sketches by a Confederate prisoner in a Union camp.

Create your own sketch that captures a daily task or event in the life of one of the play’s characters. Think about all the aspects of this person’s life. Did they live in a city or in the country? With whom would they have interacted? What clothes would they have worn? Did they have a lot of wealth or did they have to be resourceful?

Now sketch a drawing that captures a daily task or event in your life. Compare and contrast the two drawings.

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IN CLASS ACTIVITIES...

Sketch  by  Confederate  prisoner  John  Jacob  Omenhausser,  Point  Lookout, MD, 1864-1865

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Visit- Maryland Historical Society Reginald F. Lewis Museum

Read- Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln by Jean Fritz Lightning Time by Douglas Rees The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt by Deborah Hopkinson

Watch - Glory Friendly Persuasion Lincoln

Ex p l o re - Maps of the Civil War: http://memory.loc.gov/ ammem/collections/civil_war_maps/

More on Emancipation: http://www.freedmenumd. edu/home.html More on the Civil War: http://www.civilwar.org/ education/students/kidswebsites.html

Listen- African American Spirituals: http://www. followthedrinkinggourd.org/

Foley Art: http://ow.ly/qK7Zm Songs of the Civil War: http://www.pdmusic.org/ civilwar.html

YOU SHOULD ALSO CHECK OUT…

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1. Consider the character of Jessa. As a young girl who was enslaved, she would not have gone to school or learned how to read, but instead would have been working as young as four or five years old. Generate a list of all the ac-tivities you have done in the last 24 hours. Discuss which of these an enslaved person your age would NOT have been able to do before and during the Civil War.

2. Throughout the play, characters are separated from their families by force, by choice, or by ideology (Bronson loses Rose when she is kidnapped; Raz leaves his father so he can fight; Mrs. Lincoln’s political views alienate her from her southern family). Why are families important? How does the government use laws to protect, support, and encourage families? How does supporting families benefit society? What was the impact of the slave trade on African American families? How could slaveholders use family ties as a form of social control? In what ways did the war affect families on all sides of the conflict?

3. The songs in the play are familiar to many generations. Why is oral history, including traditional songs, a helpful way to understand the past? How might an oral telling of history and a written narrative differ? What songs or oral history have you learned from your family or community many generations. Why is oral history, including tradition-al songs, a helpful way to understand the past? How might an oral telling of history and a written narrative differ? What songs or oral history have you learned from your family or community?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

AFTER THE SHOW...

Jessa costume sketch by Scenic & Costume Designer Dane Laffrey

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