Hi folks,
Someone just asked me about this at Frank's website, and it's something I've wondered about for a while anyway... what are the specific source materials used in the creation of "The Civil War"? The speeches and letters that inspired various songs?

Has anyone here dug around for any of that information (even if it was just for one song?) I'm going to try and find some time to check into this, but if anyone can give me a head start I'd really appreciate it.

Best,
Peter

I'd say many many various books and historical documents etc. I don't think it's based on one or three things (which is the case with "Rudolf: The Last Kiss".) But, I don't know. Prove me wrong. When was the show first conceived, btw.? Frank seemed to be on a huge creative high in the early 90s with "Jekyll & Hyde", "Svengali", "The Scarlet Pimpernel" and "Victor/Victoria" in the works.

I'm sure there was plenty of historical research for TCW, yes. I know Frank and Greg and Jack did "the battlefield tour," and looked over all kinds of other information as they worked on this. But I know that certain songs had specific sources... like "Five Boys" is based on an actual letter sent by Lincoln to a mother who had lost five sons in the war (I'm pretty sure). That's essentially the question here... what was the real source here... the actual letter, and where do I read it, to compare to the song that came out of it? I'm trying to collect that, for any of the songs that have specific source material.

The idea for the show came from the Alley Theatre, and they got started on it around '95. They wanted to create something for the Alley's 50th anniversary (I believe it ended up that the show wasn't ready in time).

Well, that was a little bit after "Jekyll & Hyde", "Svengali" etc. Again, "Svengali"... *sigh*

I can't believe that this hasn't happened since 1991. Based on 10 minutes of music alone, I don't understand why it hasn't gone somewhere. They've certainly tried. But it's just sitting there? It's magnificent. "Vole Mon Ange" and "I Hold Your Life In My Hands" etc. are absolutely magnificent.

But anyway...

Hey guys, not sure if I did this link right, but it should take you to a photo of Lincoln's Letter to Mrs. Bixby....



http://images.indianahistory.org/cdm4/item...E=0&x=113&y=289

And this is the letter that was the source for "Oh Sarah" - not a photo, but a reprint of the text.

http://www.civil-war.net/pages/sullivan_ballou.asp


And this has a photo of Sullivan Ballou's gravesite - along wqith text from the letter. Part of the text was used on the grave marker.

http://www.ids.net/~tandem/sullivan.htm

Great links, thanks! I hadn't seen these yet... this project kind of slipped between the cracks, but I still want to collect this info if I can.

I'll help out as I can. I'm supposed to talking with Greg after the Summer and I'll ask him about more of the source materials and I'll dig up whatever images I can.