| Lance Wright plays the part of Charlie Anderson, a Virginia farmer in Shenandoah. |
This colorful and dramatic saga revolves around a strong-willed Virginia farmer who tries to keep his family neutral during the Civil War. But the Union forces and the Confederates see only in Union blue or Confederate gray so the family is inevitably swept up in the conflict. Their story is a heart warming portrayal that left wounds on the land and people.
It is 1862 and the Civil War is raging. In the Shenandoah Valley, in Northwest Virginia, where his farmhouse sits in the middle of the ebb and flow of the fighting, Charlie Anderson, a widower, father of six sons and a daughter, is determined to keep his family out of the action, ready to hold his land and to continue farming. He promises his deceased wife that “our house is going to stand…and our family…our blood is going to stay together.”
But when his youngest son is taken prisoner, he leads the rest of his family in a rescue mission. His refusal to have his family involved turns out to have been principle and not cowardice, as he voices his belief that, like all wars, “the undertakers are winning.”
This is the musical version of the 1965 movie that starred Jimmy Stewart. It came to Broadway in 1975, and has been a success at regional, community and school theaters ever since because it can be emotionally satisfying as well as musically delightful. Shenandoah is a musical that celebrates America in the same excellent way that Oklahoma did. It is not afraid to believe in the goodness of man. The score has many beautiful songs. This is a show for you and your children to love and cherish and enjoy. Cast and crew of the Emery County Community Theater welcomes the county to come out and see the production. The musical will be held on Feb. 10, 11, 12 and 14 at the Emery High auditorium at 7 p.m. Small admission fee.