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Overview

Synopsis

The Civil War uses letters, diaries, historical documents and Walt Whitman's poetry to explore a defining time in American history. The show fallows events from the beginnings of the war at Fort Sumpter all the way to its bloody conclusion. Issues dealt with in the musical include national unity, the abolition of slavery and the impact of war on individual families.

Show Information

Book
Frank Wildhorn , Gregory Boyd
Music
Frank Wildhorn
Category
Musical
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1998
Genres
Drama
Cast Size
large
Licensor
Music Theatre International
Ideal For
Mostly Male Cast, Large Cast

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Captain Billy Pierce

Male

Sergeant Virgil Franklin

Male

Corporal John Beauregard

Male

Corporal Henry Stewart

Male

Private Darius Barksdale

Male

Private Cyrus Stevens

Male

Private Sam Taylor

Male

Frederick Douglass

Male

Clayton Tholer

Male

Benjamin Reynolds

Male

Exter Thomas

Male

Harriet Jackson

Female

Liza Hughes

Female

Autolycus Fell

Male

Auctioneer's Assistant

Male

Sarah McEwen

Female

Violet

Female

Mabel

Female

Mrs. Bixby

Female

Nurse

Female

Voice of President Lincoln

Male

Songs

Act 1

  • A House Divided – The Citizens
  • Freedom's Child – Frederick Douglass and Abolitionists
  • By The Sword / Sons of Dixie – The Armies
  • Tell My Father – Private Sam Taylor
  • The Peculiar Institution – The Enslaved
  • If Prayin' Were Horses – Clayton Toler and Bessie Toler
  • Greenback – Autolycus Fell, Mabel and Violet
  • Missing You (My Bill) – Sarah McEwen
  • Judgment Day – Captain Billy Pierce, Captain Emmett Lochran, Private Sam Taylor and The Armies
  • Father, How Long? – Clayton Toler
  • Someday – Harriet Jackson, Bessie Toler and Others
  • I'll Never Pass This Way Again – Corporal Henry Stewart
  • How Many Devils? – The Armies

Act 2

  • Virginia – Captain Billy Pierce
  • Candle in the Window – Harriet Jackson
  • Oh! Be Joyful! – Autolycus Fell, Sergeant Byron Richardson, Private Conrad Bock and Private Elmore Hotchkiss
  • The Hospital – Mrs. Bixby, Nurse, Union Soldiers and Clayton Toler
  • If Prayin' Were Horses (Reprise) – Clayton Toler and Bessie Toler
  • River Jordan – Benjamin Reynolds and Others
  • Sarah – Corporal William McEwen
  • The Honor of Your Name – Sarah McEwen
  • Greenback (Reprise) – Autolycus Fell and Violet
  • Northbound Train – Captain Emmett Lochran
  • Last Waltz for Dixie – Captain Billy Pierce and Confederate Soldiers
  • The Glory – Captain Emmett Lochran, Frederick Douglass, Benjamin Reynolds and Full Company

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

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