COURIERS AND CONTRABANDS
TBG Theatre
1864. Petersburg, Virginia. As the Civil War rages on, Confederate operatives work to gather information on the Union's efforts. Little do they know that they themselves are being watched — by a contraband, masquerading as a slave, who acts in the interest of the North. Victor Lesniewski's intriguing spy thriller is a fascinating glimpse inside a little-known chapter of American history.
concept rendering
The drawing room in Lottie Mongomery's house
A room in Mary Gardner's house
Prologue: EXT. - a "safe house" near Fredericksburg, Virginia
COURIERS AND CONTRABANDS by Victor Lesniewski
Timeline Projects @ TBG Theatre
director Kareem Fahmy
scenic design David Esler
costume design Sarafina Bush
lighting design Nicholas Houfek
original music & sound design Mark Van Hare
cast: Jeremy Beck, Helen Cespedes, Luke Forbes, Heather Hollingsworth, Krystel Lucas, Eric T. Miller, Michael Schantz
photos by David Esler, Al Foote III
The marvel of Couriers and Contrabands is that the playwright has made the detailed conversations about espionage, troop movements and the ongoing war itself so utterly compelling, and has populated the work with characters who are so richly drawn that we wish for all of them to get through unscathed — a remarkable feat for a work like this that deals with a very specific component of the Civil War for which most of the audience will have scant prior knowledge. Smartly directed by Kareem Fahmy and boasting an impeccable ensemble of actors ... an air of authenticity suffuses the play, from David Esler’s set design to Sarafina Bush’s period costumes to Mark Van Hare’s sound design and original era-evocative music.
– Howard Miller, TalkinBroadway.com
Mr. Fahmy’s staging is purposeful and achieves very fine work from the cast. In the second act, his direction of the action sequences are lively, and scene transitions between the Montgomery house and Miss Gardner’s house are swiftly and cleverly executed. Scenic designer David Esler’s visually appealing and resourceful work is a high point of the production. It includes a triangular thrust set-up for the Montgomery drawing room that switches to a conventional room for the Gardner house. There are also creative indications of stairways and hallways and the set is dressed with evocative furnishings.
– Darryl Reilly, TheaterScene.net
Sometimes big plays emerge on small stages. A case in point is playwright Victor Lesniewski’s penetrating, suspenseful spy drama Couriers and Contrabands, probing conflicted loyalties during America’s Civil War. Much happens in the play, all unfolding on the compact stage at the TBG Theatre. The flexible scenery designed by David Esler is swiftly shifted to represent two neighboring houses in 1864 on the southern outskirts of Petersburg, Virginia. Seven effective cast members provide the fireworks under the savvy direction of Kareem Fahmy.
–William Wolf, Wolf Entertainment Guide