In a powerful follow-up to last month's "1776," UNC School of the Arts Schools of Drama and Production and Design opened "Harpers Ferry" on Thursday night.
There seems to be an American-history theme under way this year at UNCSA that will culminate with the musical "Oklahoma!," which opens in two weeks.
John Brown's raid of Harpers Ferry, Va., in 1859 took place more than 80 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Despite that document, which stated that all men are created with the right to pursue liberty, there were still millions of slaves being held in the nation.
One man, Brown, played ably by Luke Smith, was willing to lead 19 men including two of his sons to their certain deaths in an act that could be interpreted as heroism or terrorism.
There are some exquisite moments in this show: the opening scene in which a sextet sings "Bring Me Little Water Silvie," and a strobe-lit battle scene, to name just two. The set pieces, designed by Dee Blackburn, are elegantly simple as is the rotating stage by Scott Volesky, and on-stage sound effects of gunshots and a storm.
Although "Harpers Ferry" climaxes in a doomed battle, it is more about philosophy than action; Brown's real accomplishment was inspiration. His military action was ineffective in the short run but did much to inspire the Civil War that began 17 months after the incident at Harpers Ferry.
Because of the emphasis on philosophy, there is plenty of speechifying — some of it tantalizing — "I have a responsibility to the work I am doing," Frederick Douglass (Jacobi Howard in one of the show's best performances) says to Brown, explaining why he cannot join the battle. "I have a different path to walk."
And some of it is a tad dull.
But the show is well-done and an important reminder of the power of information, inspiration and that the courage of the few can affect the many.
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