Follow Barter Theatre on the "Road to Appomattox"

(Abingdon, Va.) Almost one hundred and fifty years later, who knew that the final actions and decisions of General Robert E. Lee during the Civil War, paired with the relationship between the North and the South in the 1800s, could mirror, parallel and relate to the feelings of a modern day couple facing their own decision?
 
Catherine Bush, the prolific playwright, did.
 
Directed by Katy Brown, past and present collide in Barter Theatre’s upcoming production, “The Road to Appomattox,” opening September 6 at Barter Stage II.
 
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the first shots fired at Fort Sumter. Commemorations are happening around the country, not to celebrate the war, but to remember America’s history and heritage.
 
“Perhaps the most defining moment during the greatest conflict in our nation’s history does not come from the beginning, but the end,” said Bush. “The North and the South were in a relationship (much like a marriage), but it wasn’t going well. Had someone not made a difficult decision, the relationship could have ended, for good. The present day couple intertwined with Lee’s story have their own big decision to make.”
 
“Taking place at the exact locations, but nearly 150 years apart in time, Bush brilliantly weaves together the story of Beau and Jenny Weeks, a husband and wife marching through their own problems toward an important decision about their future, and the story of Robert E. Lee, as he faces perhaps the most important decision of his future, his army’s future and future of a nation,” said Richard Rose, producing artistic director of Barter.
 
The Civil War scenes are historically accurate, but the focus is less on the battles, and more about the decisions and feelings of the “Man Inside the Marble,” as Lee is often described. The couple follows Lee’s footsteps as he retreats to Amelia Courthouse and then Appomattox, Virginia, where he surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant. The couple must also decide what it means for them to surrender.
 
“Catherine Bush helps us see that in the moment of what some might consider to be his greatest failure, Robert E. Lee succeeds in showing us who he really was and reveals a greatness that continues to echo throughout time,” said Rick McVey. “Because of General Lee’s sense of honor, the North and the South could unite again.”
 
McVey will be portraying General Lee, but this is not the first time. He played Lee in last year’s staged reading of “The Road to Appomattox” as part of Barter’s Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights (AFPP). More recently, McVey played Lee and other historical characters in “Civil War Voices” last spring.
 
Just how difficult is it to play an icon? “When an actor portrays any character, the goal is to make that character so believable that the audience accepts the reality of what they see on stage. That’s a daunting assignment no matter who the character may be. But when the character is an actual figure from history, the job becomes even more challenging because often audiences come to the theatre with an image of the historical character already formed – whether or not that image is based on actual facts,” said McVey.
 
Bush adds, “People think of General Lee as a soldier, Southerner and saint. But the fact is, he was human. He had faults. Our contradictions are what make our human condition so compelling.”
 
Matthew Bivins (son of Barter favorite Mary Lucy Bivins), Justin Tyler Lewis, Erin Parker and Nicholas Piper round out the five-person cast.
 
“The Road to Appomattox” takes a look at this great turning point in American history. While the facts are historically accurate, Bush’s play looks at the inner thoughts and feelings of Lee and dynamically connects the past and the present,” said Piper.
 
This play was born out of Barter’s AFPP and is the inaugural play of a new Barter series, The Shaping of America. Led by Piper, who not only plays Beau Weeks in the play, but also serves as head of new play development, “The Road to Appomattox” is the first commissioned play of the series.
 
Through 2016, the nation’s 250th birthday, Barter will dedicate one play each year to The Shaping of America series. “These plays will focus on who we are as a country, how we got here and where we came from,” said Piper. Although all the chosen plays will not be based on historical events, choosing “The Road to Appomattox” is appropriate given the Civil War sesquicentennial. For more information about submitting ideas for The Shaping of America Series, visit www.bartertheatre.com/shapingofamerica.
 
Join Barter Theatre for pre and post show discussions on “The Road to Appomattox” during 360 Panels on September 10 and 11 only. Meet the playwright and the director at 7:45 p.m. before the show and stay after the performance for a discussion with actors; this event is free with a ticket purchase and gives attendees special insight and unique understanding of the play.
 
“Ultimately,” Catherine Bush said, “this play asks, at what price unity? What is it going to take for two parts to become one? Both parties, both past and present, must choose for themselves which road to take.”
 
“The Road to Appomattox” opens September 6 at Barter Stage II. For tickets and more information, call 276.628.3991 or visit www.BarterTheatre.com. Watch Barter Insider videos with interviews with the cast, playwrights and collaborators at youtube.com/BarterTheatre.