Battle of Gettysburg storms stage

culture@dailylobo.com

The Filling Station, one of Albuquerque’s more intimate theater spaces, is an unlikely candidate to portray the sweep, scope and scale of the Battle of Gettysburg, the bloodiest conflict of the American Civil War.

But in the superb production of Karen Tarjan’s “The Killer Angels,” Mother Road Theatre Company accomplishes that very feat.
Through excellent, inventive direction and a dedicated cast of 11 actors portraying 24 parts, “The Killer Angels” sheds light on the human side of history.

Tarjan’s script — like the renowned Michael Shaara novel it adapts — gives equal focus to men of both the Union and Confederate forces. “The Killer Angels” pays the most attention to generals and officers; men who love their armies but, as one character puts it, “must be prepared to order the death of the thing (they) love.”

A narrator, played by J.B. Tuttle, helps the audience keep up with the story as “The Killer Angels” jumps between various units and locations, following the many characters with significant roles in the impending battle. Though previous productions employed a scholarly narrator who almost conducted a class with the audience, here Tuttle is a nameless soldier of no particular allegiance.

It’s one of many clever touches by director Julia Thudium, making the audience feel closer to the events on stage. Thudium’s production frequently uses music, and much of it is performed live by Tuttle, a skilled musician and singer who makes the world of the play feel all the more real.

Perhaps what “The Killer Angels” does best is offer detailed, unflinching portraits of the soldiers involved in the Battle of Gettysburg. Luckily, Mother Road’s cast is bursting with talent, and no character gets the short end of the stick. Still, some performances rise to the fore.

Peter Kierst does great, subtle work as Robert E. Lee, lending the Confederate general a quiet, statesman-like dignity. He is fascinating as he portrays Lee’s tragic arc. The general increasingly acts more on faith than on reason and then lives long enough to regret it. Vic Browder is also captivating as James Longstreet, an officer of Lee’s who sees the flaws in his leader’s plans but is nonetheless duty-bound to carry them out. 

Though almost every actor in “The Killer Angels” portrays multiple roles, Mark Hisler shows special dexterity in portraying a smirking actor-turned-Confederate-spy, a foul-mouthed Union general, a Confederate officer jostling for glory, as well as a stoic Texan officer, somehow managing to make each role feel separate and authentic.

Mother Road’s production of “The Killer Angels” isn’t just notable for its performances; its design and direction are masterful. Tom Studer’s lights and the set, by Peter Crawford and Browder, rise to the extraordinary challenge of transporting the audience to the biggest battle of the American Civil War. Thudium’s staging consistently impresses with its invention. Some moments are particularly memorable, such as when a Union general addresses the audience directly in an impassioned plea for mutineers to keep fighting, or the use of a light booth as a high perch for characters to survey the battle before them. Thudium also manages to bring the actual fighting to life, despite having only a handful of actors and a limited space. Her direction is a testament to the obstacles theater can overcome with a little creative thinking.

The historical significance of the Battle of Gettysburg is unlikely to be forgotten. Mother Road’s production of “The Killer Angels” succeeds in reminding us that it was a human conflict, full of strengths and flaws, fears and dreams. It’s very much a story worth telling, and Mother Road does so with craft and style.