SAINT SOMEBODY [Published]

by Rita Anderson

When an African-American “deserter” wanders into the camp of the Irish Brigade near Gettysburg, conflicts intensify, but the soldier carries an old statue that his family calls “Saint Somebody,” since they don’t know her real name. Based on real events at The Wheatfield, SAINT SOMEBODY suggests one solution as to how the Brigade of 600 held back Confederate troops for three days when they were outnumbered by...

When an African-American “deserter” wanders into the camp of the Irish Brigade near Gettysburg, conflicts intensify, but the soldier carries an old statue that his family calls “Saint Somebody,” since they don’t know her real name. Based on real events at The Wheatfield, SAINT SOMEBODY suggests one solution as to how the Brigade of 600 held back Confederate troops for three days when they were outnumbered by thousands. What the Irish Brigade needed—and found—was a miracle. A play about the women and other unsung heroes in the Civil War, Saint Somebody explores a part of history that has not been dramatized. It confronts the brutalities of war, and the characters demonstrate love’s resilience and the necessity of hope to keep the spirit alive in dire circumstance. Full-length, Next Stage Press.

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SAINT SOMEBODY [Published]

Recommended by

  • Cheryl Bear: SAINT SOMEBODY [Published] by Rita Anderson
    “

    A fascinating history that gives light to unsung heroes including women in the Civil War, a story we haven't heard before. Well done.

    A fascinating history that gives light to unsung heroes including women in the Civil War, a story we haven't heard before. Well done.

    ”
  • Max Langert: SAINT SOMEBODY [Published] by Rita Anderson
    “

    Saint Somebody kicks off with a unique introduction to its key characters and does a fantastic job creating scenes and backgrounds in the midst of the Civil War. The staging inside medical tents makes for immediately gripping action, and the pursuit of justice for a marginalized yet heroic soldier is both heartbreaking and satisfying. This drama shines a light on a set of historical figures we haven’t seen before, and we’re better off for it.

    Saint Somebody kicks off with a unique introduction to its key characters and does a fantastic job creating scenes and backgrounds in the midst of the Civil War. The staging inside medical tents makes for immediately gripping action, and the pursuit of justice for a marginalized yet heroic soldier is both heartbreaking and satisfying. This drama shines a light on a set of historical figures we haven’t seen before, and we’re better off for it.

    ”
  • Donald E. Baker: SAINT SOMEBODY [Published] by Rita Anderson
    “

    That rarity, a Civil War play that centers women, nurses, as full participants. The enlisted men of the "Irish Brigade" at their camp near Gettysburg are "ready to spill our guts for a country that hates the very look of us." So is the wounded African-American who turns up and whom the nurses must keep hidden from their cowardly commanding officer. The play deals with questions of duty, power, religion, and race, and each character's inward and outward conflicts and relationships are well drawn. A nice contemporary play in period dress.

    That rarity, a Civil War play that centers women, nurses, as full participants. The enlisted men of the "Irish Brigade" at their camp near Gettysburg are "ready to spill our guts for a country that hates the very look of us." So is the wounded African-American who turns up and whom the nurses must keep hidden from their cowardly commanding officer. The play deals with questions of duty, power, religion, and race, and each character's inward and outward conflicts and relationships are well drawn. A nice contemporary play in period dress.

    ”
View all 5 recommendations

Development History

Production History

  • Community Theater, Mélange Theatre Company, 2019

Awards

  • OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCRIPT
    B. Iden Payne Arts Council Awards (BIPAC)
    Finalist
    2020
  • John Cauble Outstanding Short Play Award
    The Kennedy Center
    Semi-Finalist