A desire to showcase two talented young women onstage blossomed into a Civil War–era musical, along with the documentary that showcases one man’s creative leap of faith.
“In the Shadow of the Mountain: A Documentary in Two Acts” follows John Adams, a first-time playwright from Southwest Virginia as he stages the Civil War musical, “In the Shadow of the Mountain.”
Screening at St. Augustine’s Limelight Theatre on Tuesday, April 21 at 7 p.m., the documentary follows the production of the two-act musical depicting an American family divided by the Civil War in geography and political allegiance.
The documentary, which began as the simple recording of a live performance, evolved into a film that includes behind-the-scenes interviews, rehearsal footage, cast reflections and a visit to the Adams family farm and cemetery where family history is then woven into the play’s narrative.
Together, the stage production and the film serve to move and connect audiences across generations, backgrounds and viewpoints.
Adams told the St. Augustine Record that from the onset, he envisioned writing a musical play that would explore themes of unity while showcasing the incredible talent of its composers, musicians, cast and crew.
“I wanted to write something about unity,” he said, “but unity that’s found through separation.”
Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, the musical stages two sisters, each in their own parlors, in different states, who sit at four o’clock every day at their pianos to play and sing. As harmonies transcend distance, music becomes the venue for sharing loving family memories.
“Music became the bridge when everything else was divided,” Adams said.
Adams said that staging the play during the Civil War allowed him to expand on the idea of separation because the parents were also split along regional lines; the mother was from Virginia, the father from Boston.
“And because the two brothers chose to defend opposite sides of the war, everyone in the family was pulled apart by belief, duty and circumstance,” he said.
But the brothers weren’t the only cast members embroiled in turmoil. One of the show’s most impactful characters was born from Adams’ ancestry, an unearthing that he described as “a wealth of material that became as meaningful as the play itself.”
Adams discovered that not only did his grandfather fight for the Confederacy, but he also took one of his slaves with him, a practice that at the time was not uncommon.
“That became the basis for the musical’s central Black character, a man removed unwillingly from his family and swept into a war he didn’t choose to fight in,” Adams said. “His character opened the door to telling a different story.
“Most Civil War stories focus on the North and South or the soldiers,” he said. “You don’t hear about what happened inside families — and even less about what happened within the Black community.”
Adams said that the slave’s character added “musical depth and a deeper narrative” told through songs and choral pieces inspired by Black enslaved communities.
The first-time playwright admits that he had no idea that a project this size would be so hard.
“And that was probably a blessing.”
The documentary grew out of a practical decision. Because Adams owned the copyright, he was free to record the live performance. Film students were hired to capture the show but soon began recording rehearsals, interviews and behind-the-scenes moments as well.
“It very quickly became more than just documentation,” Adams said. “We were able to showcase a community of artists who used theater to confront legacy, invite dialogue, and remind audiences that unity is still possible, even when history feels heavy.”
More than anything, he said, he hopes viewers walk away with a greater openness to perspective.
“There aren’t just two sides to every story,” Adams said. “There are dozens. And the only way we learn anything is by listening.”
Sherrie Provence, the Limelight’s executive director, described the film as inspirational.
“In the Shadow of the Mountain” is bold, powerful, honest, courageous and deeply transformative,” she said. “This film highlights the role of art in helping us better understand our history and each other.”
Adams is currently working to distribute the documentary through a streaming platform to reach a wider audience and hopefully spark an interest in staging the musical elsewhere.
The film has since entered multiple film festivals nationwide and was “proudly” accepted into the recent St. Augustine Film Festival, where the quality of fellow selections left Adams “honored just to be included.”
This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: Documentary on Civil War musical “In the Shadow of the Mountain” debuts
Reporting by Lucia Viti, St. Augustine Record / St. Augustine Record
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
