Engaging drama reveals women behind Lincoln

From the time of his death 149 years ago this month, Abraham Lincoln has been an American icon — "Honest Abe," the man who saved the Union and freed the slaves, the guy on the penny and the $5 bill.

It’s no surprise then that Lincoln’s life has inspired endless study and speculation. American playwright P.J. Barry’s "Heritage," first performed off-Broadway in 1985, takes the unusual perspective of focusing on five women who helped shape Lincoln’s life and make him the man he came to be.

HPU Director of Theatre Joyce Maltby, herself a Lincoln fan, pre­sents Barry’s look at early American history in engaging style. Five talented actors give uniformly vivid performances in the major roles.

Hailey Farah plays Lincoln’s maternal grandmother, Lucy Hanks, who was single and pregnant at a time when "fornication" was a criminal offense. Beth E. Barry is Lincoln’s mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, who was raised by her aunt and uncle in an effort to mitigate the stigma of being "illegitimate." MidWeek columnist Rasa Fournier is a soothing maternal presence as Lincoln’s stepmother, Sarah Bush Johnston Lincoln, a warm and loving woman who encouraged his interest in self-education and his desire to become something more than a struggling backwoods farmer.

Rachelle Gesselman is adorable as Ann Rutledge, the woman who may have been Lincoln’s true love. Melinda Maltby, director Maltby’s daughter, gives a commanding portrayal of Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, a complex and outspoken woman who ranks with Hillary Rodham Clinton as one of the most controversial first ladies in American history.

Joel McClure is strong and edgy as Lincoln’s hardworking, hard-luck father, Thomas Lincoln, a man too busy trying to make a living to have any time for book-learning. Hawaii stage veteran Jim Tharp gives the show an important measure of gravity as the narrator.

Pictures of the Lincoln family and other people and places significant to the story are projected on a screen at the back of the stage. They also help put things in context.

Many things in Lincoln’s life are matters of conjecture. The genealogy of his mother is a matter of debate among historians. The true depth of his relationship with Rutledge is also unknown. Various characters bicker from time to time about which version of history is correct.

The characters and their experiences are uniformly interesting. Intermission arrives before you know it. The second act moves with similar speed. Lincoln meets Ann and loses her, marries Mary almost in spite of himself, leads the Union through the Civil War and departs for that fateful performance of "Our American Cousin" in seemingly no time at all.

In addition to being the story of Lincoln and his family, "Heritage" reminds us of the hardships Americans accepted as normal two centuries ago, and the importance family can have in the success or failure of children who are described these days as "at risk."