The Filson's Educational Programming: One Act Dramas
By Brian R. Pollock
Special Events Coordinator
 |
About |
As The Filson strives to share the significant stories of our
region, we continually work to develop innovative methods of reaching the students of our area. One of those ways is
through our two one-act dramas, One Wore Blue, One Wore Gray and The Great
Journey.
These two dramas help to bring history to life by taking it off the pages of the letters and journals and putting it on the stage.
The Filson Historical Society
and Nancy Niles Sexton, founder
of Walden Theatre, collaborated
to produce two dramas that would
tell the stories of history. The
Great Journey is the tale of the
Lewis and Clark Expedition as
told by Captain William Clark.
In One Wore Blue, One Wore Gray,
a storyteller shares the lives of
two Louisvillians, Alfred Pirtle
and Johnny Green, who both
fought in the Civil War. These
two dramas were developed with
an elementary-age audience in
mind and resource guides have
been created to assist teachers in
presenting these topics.
Sexton spent many days at
The Filson Historical Society
immersing herself in the journals
and letters concerning these two
events. By reading the papers
of
William Clark, Alfred Pirtle
and Johnny Green, Sexton was
able to bring the characters to
life in her dramas with their own
words. With her many years of
experience with children and
theater, she was able to craft two
engaging tales that educate and
entertain. The end results of
her extensive research are the
two dramas that we now offer to
schools throughout the area.
One Wore Blue, One Wore Gray begins with the storyteller introducing us to Alfred Pirtle and Johnny Green, both Louisvillians. Pirtle, from a wealthy family, received a commission to serve in the Union Army as an officer. Green, whose family had fallen on hard times, joined the Confederate Army as a regular soldier to be “a hero to all those pretty girls in hoop skirts and lace shawls.” The play goes on to detail the differences that the two soldiers faced during the war. Pirtle led the life of an officer with all the privileges therein. Green marched and drilled to the point of developing “camp fever.” They both came to the same destination, a small creek in Tennessee for the Battle of Chickamauga. Their journeys differed in almost every detail but the end result is that students gain a greater appreciation for the Civil War experience.
William Clark
comes out of the
pages of history
to share his tale of
The Great Journey.
Beginning in
Louisville, Clark
recounts the steps of
the Expedition as he
takes the children to
the Pacific Ocean. Students meet
the new people, the new animals
and can almost see
the new land as they
trace the path with
Clark along his map.
A tense meeting with
the Teton Sioux, a
frightful encounter
with the “great
white bear” and the
harrowing crossing
of the Bitterroot
Mountains all bring
this story to life.
After three years on
the trail with Clark,
the audience gains
a better understanding of the
journey itself.
A unique element of these two dramas is the question and answer session that follows the performance. Rather than just abruptly ending the lesson, the actors take a few moments to answer the many questions of the students. Of course, there is not enough time to address them all, but after a performance students are engaged and ready to learn more about the significant stories of our region.
These dramas are one of many
ways that The Filson’s educational
programming works to meet our
mission of sharing the significant
stories of the Ohio Valley. They
are available for presentations
as part of a field trip to The
Filson as well as in the school.
The total cost of the drama
is $150.00. For additional
information about these dramas
or to schedule one of the many
educational opportunities
available, please contact The
Filson at (502) 635-5083. We
look forward to bringing history
to life for all learners in
our region. •
The Filson Historical Society
1310 South Third Street - Louisville, KY 40208
Phone: (502) 635-5083 Fax: (502) 635-5086
Hours
The Ferguson Mansion and Office
Monday - Friday: 9 am. - 5 pm.
Saturday and Sunday closed
Library
Monday - Friday: 9 am. - 5 pm.
Saturday: 9 am. - 12 noon