BWW Interviews: THE ANDERSONVILLE TRIAL Brings History to Life this Weekend at Apollo Civic Theater

History comes to vivid life this weekend as The Andersonville Trial opens at the Apollo Civic Theater in Martinsburg, WV. Based on the real life trial of Henry Wirz during the Civil War, The Andersonville Trial is directed by Tami McDonald and features over fifteen area actors bringing a little-known court case from American history to brilliant life.

" Henry Wirz presided over a camp where 14,000 men perished because of widespread starvation, contaminated and foul water, rampant disease, vitamin deficiency and no shelter or clothing to guard them from the harsh weather extremes that are common to the Georgia climate. So the most difficult part was to humanize Henry Wirz and create reasonable doubt for a totally unsympathetic and widely despised person. I had to get myself in the mindset that such a man deserves a competent and zealous defense despite the despicable carnage and living conditions that he allowed to happen. I had to recognize that he was "a man like other men" (one of Henry Wirz's lines in the show) who really was not the person responsible for the Andersonville tragedy" said Thomas Trgovac, who plays Otis Baker.

"It was a challenge to portray my character in such a way that it is clear to the audience that he is emotionally damaged from his war experiences, yet also be functional enough to appear in court and testify coherently" said Michael Shull, who plays James Davidson. "One of the advantages of a historical drama is that there are resources that help with understanding the character and who he was and the life he lived. I love United States history and I really got to dig deep into the history of the real situation at Andersonville and who Henry Wirz really was" said Rennes Carbaugh on playing Henry Wirz.

For a drama heavily focused on the human interaction and tension during the historic trial, a personal connection between cast members was very important for the actors.

"My favorite part of rehearsals is watching how the entire cast chose to portray their character and talk about why they are portraying them a certain way, or talking about how to act in the court room and why the lawyers would say or do certain things. One of my cast mates was actually a Judge Advocate General, or JAG. Having that input and knowledge has been extremely helpful and interesting" said Carbaugh. "I am a practicing attorney, I have participated in and enjoy civil war reenacting, I have a history degree with a US Civil War subject concentration, and I am a former US Army JAG officer (where I represented many soldiers in real court-martials and often lectured soldiers about the law of war and their legal responsibilities regarding POWs)" added Trgovac.

"The characterization of the other actors is fantastic. There is also a wide variety of experience, from novices to very seasoned actors. The director really knows how to get the most out of them as well" said Ken McDonald, who plays Ambrose Spencer. "By far, my favorite part about the rehearsals was the good-natured joking and camaraderie shared while out of character. It's a really good group of people to work with" added Shull

The cast is eagerly awaiting opening night to share the important story with an audience.

"This is a drama about the human notion of justice, and how it, like other virtues, can become distorted or corrupted during war, it's aftermath, or other periods of social upheaval. I can't think of a better reason to see a show than to be given a particular perspective and context through which to gaze upon the human condition as it was, is, and will remain for the foreseeable future" said Shull

"It is a compelling drama with a thought provoking script - I personally could not put it down once I started reading the script If you appreciate really good drama with quality actors, portraying an actual historical event in a way that expands your knowledge and viewpoints on the event - this is a show that you will enjoy. This play will open your eyes and cause you to reflect on a real event in our past and see the story that most people probably never knew about a truly tragic figure in our history" said Trgovac.

"The Andersonville Trial is an intense court room drama that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats. Even though history has told us what actually happens at the end of the play, the trial itself is intense. It shows the audience what the trial was really like and throughout asks the audience whether the trial was justified or just an excuse to hang someone for crimes in the Civil War. It brings up the question of morality and how far superior orders extend over someones conscience" said Carbaugh. "This show is not only entertaining, but it is educational and timely, since we are celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the end of the Civil War and this trial" added McDonald.

The Andersonville Trial also features Jerry Tracy as LTC N. P. Chipman, Todd Apple as Gen. Lew Wallace, Joe Hall as Maj D. Hosmer, Warren Clopper as Louis Schade, Wade Myers at CPT. Williams, Mike Reed as D.T. Chandler, Bruce Klosten as Dr. John Bates, Tom Hutchcraft as Dr. Ford, Ryan Reynolds as Jasper Culver, Ross Hudson as Sgt. James Gray and Ronnie Phares as Clerk.

The Andersonville Trial runs April 17, 18, 19, 24, 25 and 26. Tickets are $15 for Friday and Saturday evening shows and $12 for Sunday matinees. Student tickets are $7 for all performances. The Apollo Civic Theater is located at 128 East Martin Street, Martinsburg, WV, 25402. For more information about upcoming performances, please visit www.apollo-theatre.org

Photo Credit: Apollo Civic Theater

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