Civil War Letters
Written by Rebecca Axelrod
Based on original civil war letters.
In September of 1862, Timothy Andrews Jr, aged 33, of Essex, MA volunteered to serve in the 39th Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers, Union Army, for a term of three years. He returned home in June of 1865, after the end of the war. During that time, he wrote many poignant letters home, mostly to his wife Nancy C. Andrews. Rebecca Elwell Axelrod, Andrew’s descendant, imagines her great-great grandmother Nancy toward the end of her life, rereading these remarkable letters, which portray one man’s courageous struggle during one of our nation’s most difficult times.
“My fate is fixed sure as the duration of the war.” — Timothy Andrews
2016 Staged Reading
August 25, 2016
Black Box Lab at Stage284 · 284 Bay Rd, Hamilton, MA
Produced by Patricia P. Jamison and Punctuate4 Productions
Directed by Patricia P. Jamison
Lighting Design by Kevin Dunn
Set Design by Catherine Stramer
Since this script was entirely drawn from actual Civil War correspondence—it was not fictionalized in any way—we had the challenge of making something theatrical and entertaining out of something you might characterize as ‘ordinary’ or ‘everyday’. The lines were not styled by a playwright trying to manipulate an emotional response. So brought the words to life, using dramatic, emotional interpretation.
— Actor, Doug Brendel
CAST
Nancy Andrews: Rebecca Axelrod
Timothy Andrews: Douglas Brendel
