Theater Department Tells Story Of Female Civil War Spies Through Newest Production

Based on the historically accurate accounts of American women spies, the student-curated play, “Decipher: An Unpenned Story of the Civil War,” tells the previously untold story of four Virginian women who influenced events on both sides of the Civil War.

“The creative process began with our team just looking for a story involving Virginia history. It didn’t take long before we stumbled upon the story of the female spies in the Civil War,” Aaron Hall, an actor in and a writer of the show, said. “We get the unique opportunity to breathe life into this historical story that has never been in the spotlight before.”

The theatre department began this creative journey in January 2020. After devoting a full month to research, the crew began production on the script, transitions and costumes that would eventually bring the story to life in front of a live audience.

“‘Decipher’ is centered around a familiar story, the story of the North versus the South, and creatively intertwines it with a story people don’t know,” Linda Cooper, Chair of the Department of Theatre Arts, professional playwright and director of ‘Decipher,’ said. “And you see how the story that we don’t know had a great impact on the story we do know.”

Although originally focused on two spies, Elizabeth Van Lew and Belle Boyd, it developed over time to include their maids, Mary and Eliza, in the story.

“The play evolved and centered itself around all four women,” Hall said. “There are twists in the play that make it difficult to truly know whose story it really is. As an audience member, you get to go in and really decipher whose story it is and whose story we are really trying to tell.”

This production dives into the richness of history that is buried deep in Virginia’s roots and how that history impacts modern day society.

“The history of Virginia has telling effects on today,” Cooper said. “If you peel back the curtain, there is a lot about the Revolutionary War in Virginia that influenced the Civil War. And there is a lot about the Civil War in Virginia that has influenced 2020… and we were writing this story as the chaos of this past year ensued.”

As evidenced in the story of “Decipher,” there is so much more to history than what is commonly told. According to Cooper, so many people from the past played a vital role, and this production tells their story in a way that a textbook and article cannot.

“Certain voices in history, for some reason or another, have been silenced,” Cooper said. “It is important for us to un-silence those voices so that we are able to get the whole story and not just one perspective of it.”

As a female director, Cooper appreciated the opportunity to vocalize the stories of women who sacrificed their lives, giving them the honor that they are due.

“Women are soulful creatures,” Cooper said. “They are not merely stock characters in history. Their voice meant something, and their stories matter.” 

The main themes of the play are relationships and loyalties. It poses the question, what are you fighting for and why?

“Our instincts brought about several of the themes, motives and focal points that we didn’t necessarily intend on honing in on from the very beginning of the writing,” Hall said. “Yet each scenario and plot twist is so true to what really happened. We didn’t have to add imagination to the plot. It was already there.”

Decipher will be performed in the Black Box Theater from Feb. 18 through the 28. This show is sold out, but future productions can be found at https://www.liberty.edu/arts/theatre/current-season/.

Jessi Green is the Asst. Feature Editor. Follow her on Twitter at @jessigreen0.