Richard H. Sautter poses with a bust of Abraham Lincoln. Courtesy photo
Thanks to a grant from the Maine Humanities Council, Pejepscot History Center is bringing actor, director and Gettysburg College Theatre instructor Richard Sautter to town for two Civil War-related programs on July 6 and 8.
July 1-3 marks the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War, where Maine’s Joshua Chamberlain led the 20th Maine Regiment on Little Round Top. This year is also the 40th anniversary of PHC owning and operating the Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum in downtown Brunswick.
“We would be remiss in not marking both of these occasions with some extra special programming,” said PHC Director Larissa Vigue Picard. “Rich is a talented theatre professional who happens to be a big fan of Maine, having earned his undergraduate degree from Bates College. He also performed in Maine during the Civil War sesquicentennial in 2013.”
At 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 6, Sautter delivers a talk and slideshow on American theatre during the Civil War. Sautter discusses acting as a disreputable profession, the prevalence of “minstrel shows,” Abraham Lincoln’s relationship to the theater, the (in)famous actors in the Booth family, and how the war changed theatrical entertainment.
The program will be held at PHC at 159 Park Row as part of its History Happy Hour series. Although the talk is free, RSVPs are required as seats are limited, and wine and beer will be served. Doors open at 5 p.m.
At 2 p.m. Saturday, July 8, Sautter performs “Addressing Gettysburg, or Swimming to the High-Water Mark,” a one-man show he wrote. The performance takes place at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 1 Middle St. in Brunswick and will be followed by an ice cream social.
“Addressing Gettysburg” concerns the experience of living in America’s most sacred ground. Cemetery Ridge, near Gettysburg, is referred to as the “high-water mark of the Confederacy” and the three-day battle is often considered the turning point of the war, after which the South’s chances to triumph declined.
“Spending time in Gettysburg means meeting many different people, from passionate historians to ghost hunters, from Civil War re-enactors to apathetic schoolchildren,” said Sautter. “It causes one to think about how some places gain deeply special meaning for us, and how our history affects us today.” The play includes both humor and deep reflection.
Tickets support Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum operations and are $20 for the general public, $15 for PHC members, $10 for students, and $5 for those that find themselves in difficult circumstances.
To register for either or both programs visit pejepscothistorical.org/events or call (207) 729-6606.
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