An all-female cast depicts a behind-the-scenes look at the Civil War to display women’s roles — with a couple of laughs.
The morning of Apr. 6, 1862, there was a major battle of the Civil War. The Confederates launched a surprise attack on the Union, and the Union almost won.
The battle, Shiloh, was fought on a battle field in Tennessee.
Now playing until Nov. 8, at the Cheryl Woods Theatre in the Speech Arts building, University Theatre will be presenting a comedic depiction of the Civil War.
The play, “Shiloh Rules,â€Â written by Doris Baizley, a founding member of Los Angeles Theatre Works, features an all-female cast.
When writing the play, Baizley wanted to focus on the roles of women during the Civil War and give the audience a backstage look.
“We did all sorts of research of the Civil War,â€Â said cast member Carly Oliver. “The cast went together to the Civil War re-enactment at the Kearney Park, looked up stuff online and readings from the library.â€Â
Carly Oliver plays Clara May Abbott in the play, a Union nurse explained that the cast did a lot preparation for the play.
Oliver plays Clara May Abbott in the play, a Union nurse, along with her trainee, Meg who is played by Nicole Arbino.
Oliver’s rival in the play is Cecilia Pettison, a “hardcoreâ€Â Confederate refugee played by Samantha Calabrese.
Lucy Gale, another trainee for Cecilia, is played by Natalie Rowe.
In the play, the trainees are not there to follow the leads of the nurses, but instead to meet boys.
Other characters include Widow Beckwith, a concessionaire who holds a neutral position between the North and the South, Her character is played by Danielle Jorn.
Another is Officer Wilson, a U.S. Park Guard, played by Brittney Caldwell.
The play will offer many laughs and insights to war, such as the psychological wounds of individuals that have yet to be healed.
The play is a behind-the -scene look at the women who were in the conflict, but not in the battle.
The theatre arts department had more actresses than there are roles.
Danielle Jorn, who plays Beckwith in the reenactment, believes that the play expresses history well.
“There is something bigger about it because it is in our country’s history,â€Â Jorn said.
Although it is about history, the play depicts the lighter side of the war.
In the play, there is a divsion of what the war means and what the cast hopes the audience will gain from it.
The director for the production is Terry Miller, who has been directing at the university for 40 years.
“[The play] like a new world for me,â€Â Miller said. “People don’t know what goes on behind the scenes and that is what the play is about.â€Â
“The play is very active and funny, but at the same time it is deep,â€Â Miller said.