Catherine Bush / Playwright
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Charlottesville

  • The Robert E. Lee Statue in Charlottesville, VA

Synopsis

When Civil War reenactor Curtis Jenkins is accused by a black 4th grader of being racist, he begins a fantastical journey down the rabbit-hole known as American race relations. On his voyage, he meets famous figures, both living and dead, who question his family’s legacy from Robert E. Lee. Then, one hot August day in Charlottesville, a Unite the Right rally explodes into violence, and Curtis must decide for himself how to judge the Past from the Present.

Cast

Curtis Jenkins 50’s, white; Civil War reenactor
Gena Reed 9, black; 4th grader at St. Mary’s Academy
Todd Bloat 9, white; 4th grader at St. Mary’s Academy
Kenny Sullivan 9, white; 4th grader at St. Mary’s Academy
Sr. Anne 40’s, white; nun who teaches 4th grade at St. Mary’s Academy
Patty Jenkins 50’s, white; Curtis’s wife
Tasha Jefferson 30’s, black; Curtis’s co-worker
Pete Scofield 40’s, white; friend of Curtis & a fellow reenactor
Marty Haan 40's, white; a member of Curtis’s bowling team
*Mitch Landrieu 50's, white; mayor of New Orleans
*Wynton Marsalis 50's, black; jazz musician, plays trumpet
*Heather Heyer 32, white; counter protestor in Charlottesville
*Alfred Wilson 40’s, black; Heather’s boss
*Jason Kessler 34, white; a white supremacist
*Eric Kessler sixtyish, white; Jason’s father
*Zhyana Bryant 14, black; student activist in Charlottesville
*Wes Bellamy late 20’s, black; Vice-Mayor of Charlottesville
*Gen. Robert E. Lee 50’s, white; Commander of the Army of Northern Virginia
Black Man 30’s, black; took communion at St. Paul’s Church
*Wesley Norris 30’s, black; slave on Arlington plantation
Overseer 40's, white; Lee’s overseer on Arlington plantation
Waiter 20’s, white; works in a coffee shop
Bob Jenkins 40, white; Curtis’s father
Billy Jenkins 17, white; Curtis’ great-great grandfather

Specs

Cast Size: 7 (5m, 2w)
Approximate Run Time: 2h
Number of Acts: Two
Script Sample
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Production History

2020 Finalist in Barter Theatre’s Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights (staged reading)

2021 Finalist in Palm Beach Dramaworks New Year/New Play Festival (staged reading)

Casting Notes:
* These characters are based on actual people, both living and dead. Some of their words are taken from historical records, such as letters and speeches. But it should be noted that these characters are a work of dramatic fiction; the rest of their words and actions are my invention, and liberties have been taken.

The same actor is to play the following roles:

Gena Reed/Tasha Jefferson/Zhyana Bryant
Sr. Anne/Patty Jenkins/Heather Heyer
Todd Bloat/Marty Haan/Mitch Landrieu/Jason Kessler/Billy Jenkins
Kenny Sullivan/Pete Scofield/Overseer/Waiter/Eric Kessler
Wynton Marsalis/Black Man/Wesley Norris/Wes Bellamy/Alfred Wilson
General Lee/Bob Jenkins
Cast Size: 7 (5m, 2w)
Approximate Run Time: 2h
Number of Acts: Two
Script Sample
Request Rights

Synopsis

When Civil War reenactor Curtis Jenkins is accused by a black 4th grader of being racist, he begins a fantastical journey down the rabbit-hole known as American race relations. On his voyage, he meets famous figures, both living and dead, who question his family’s legacy from Robert E. Lee. Then, one hot August day in Charlottesville, a Unite the Right rally explodes into violence, and Curtis must decide for himself how to judge the Past from the Present.

Cast

Curtis Jenkins
50’s, white; Civil War reenactor
Gena Reed
9, black; 4th grader at St. Mary’s Academy
Todd Bloat
9, white; 4th grader at St. Mary’s Academy
Kenny Sullivan
9, white; 4th grader at St. Mary’s Academy
Sr. Anne
40’s, white; nun who teaches 4th grade at St. Mary’s Academy
Patty Jenkins
50’s, white; Curtis’s wife
Tasha Jefferson
30’s, black; Curtis’s co-worker
Pete Scofield
40’s, white; friend of Curtis & a fellow reenactor
Marty Haan
40's, white; a member of Curtis’s bowling team
*Mitch Landrieu
50's, white; mayor of New Orleans
*Wynton Marsalis
50's, black; jazz musician, plays trumpet
*Heather Heyer
32, white; counter protestor in Charlottesville
*Alfred Wilson
40’s, black; Heather’s boss
*Jason Kessler
34, white; a white supremacist
*Eric Kessler
sixtyish, white; Jason’s father
*Zhyana Bryant
14, black; student activist in Charlottesville
*Wes Bellamy
late 20’s, black; Vice-Mayor of Charlottesville
*Gen. Robert E. Lee
50’s, white; Commander of the Army of Northern Virginia
Black Man
30’s, black; took communion at St. Paul’s Church
*Wesley Norris
30’s, black; slave on Arlington plantation
Overseer
40's, white; Lee’s overseer on Arlington plantation
Waiter
20’s, white; works in a coffee shop
Bob Jenkins
40, white; Curtis’s father
Billy Jenkins
17, white; Curtis’ great-great grandfather
Casting Notes:
* These characters are based on actual people, both living and dead. Some of their words are taken from historical records, such as letters and speeches. But it should be noted that these characters are a work of dramatic fiction; the rest of their words and actions are my invention, and liberties have been taken.

The same actor is to play the following roles:

Gena Reed/Tasha Jefferson/Zhyana Bryant
Sr. Anne/Patty Jenkins/Heather Heyer
Todd Bloat/Marty Haan/Mitch Landrieu/Jason Kessler/Billy Jenkins
Kenny Sullivan/Pete Scofield/Overseer/Waiter/Eric Kessler
Wynton Marsalis/Black Man/Wesley Norris/Wes Bellamy/Alfred Wilson
General Lee/Bob Jenkins

Production History

2020 Finalist in Barter Theatre’s Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights (staged reading)

2021 Finalist in Palm Beach Dramaworks New Year/New Play Festival (staged reading)
Script Sample
Request Rights
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