Shenandoah

Shenandoah (1889), a play by Bronson Howard. [Star Theatre, 250 perf.] The outbreak of the Civil War means that two West Point friends, Kerchival West ( Henry Miller) of New York and Robert Ellingham ( Lucius Henderson) of Virginia, must take opposing sides. Both men become colonels in their respective armies. Before the war, each man was in love with the other's sister: Madeline West ( Nanette Comstock) and Gertrude Ellingham ( Viola Allen). When Robert is taken prisoner and Gertrude is arrested as a spy, they are brought before West, who finds Gertrude surprisingly hostile. But West is stabbed by another Confederate, Thornton ( John E. Kellerd), who, in order to save himself, tells General Haverhill ( Wilton Lackaye) that West has been the lover of Haverhill's wife. Since West has a locket with Mrs. Haverhill's picture, the charge seems believable, but West reveals he obtained the locket from a young soldier, Lt. Bedloe ( G. W. Bailey). Bedloe turns out to be Haverhill's son, fighting under an assumed name. Taken prisoner, he is exchanged for Robert. The men go back to fighting, and not until the war is over are the lovers reunited. This summary gives some indication of the complexity of the plot, which many critics assailed. Nevertheless, the Charles Frohman production was a major hit, the first for the young producer and one that launched his long, distinguished career.