THE STORY

Straight from the pages of Loudoun County, Virginia Civil War history, the play traces the true escapades of three young pro-Union journalists - Lida and Lizzie Dutton and Sarah Steer - who fought the Confederacy in their own unique way.

They dealt with foraging rebels and burning raids, cared for wounded soldiers, assisted with the Underground Railroad, and created the only known Union newspaper to ever be published from Confederate Virginia. From the summer of 1864 to the end of the conflict, they managed to smuggle at least eight drafts of The Waterford News across the Potomac River for printing. Despite starving conditions in Loudoun, they took the subscription monies and sent them north to Soldiers' Aid.  After President Lincoln's assassination, copies of The Waterford News are purported to have been among the items found on the White House desk, along with a Union soldier's lletter which tells the President that the three girls had raised over $1300 for soldiers aid through its publication(a tremendous sum in that day).

Heroes are made when right choices are made in difficult circumstances. Thanks to the preservation of Loudoun history, we're able to celebrate the heart of these heroes - the young women who vowed to do life justice despite all odds.

PRODUCTION HISTORY

• 2010 - ALL FOR THE UNION in Confederate Virginia is produced by Run Rabbit Run Theatre, Old Stone School Theatre, Hillsboro, Virginia. Directed by McMath, 25% of proceeds go to the nonprofit Hillsboro Community Association;
• 2005 - The Lincoln Preservation Foundation initiates the creation of an independent film, Waterford's War, based on the play.  Peter Buck of Waterford Productions, LLC signs on as Director of Photography; McMath directs and produces the filming (currently in post-production);
• 2004 - A 30-minute, narrated version of the play is commissioned by the The Newseum (at that time located in Rosslyn, Virginia in conjunction with The Newseum's "War Stories" Exhibit), produced and directed by McMath;2003 - Produced by The Lincoln Preservation Foundation, directed by Meredith Bean McMath (final version title: All for the Union in Confederate Virginia).
• 2000 - Produced by Mimi Westervelt for The Waterford Foundation, directed by Sara Gomez (second version title The Waterford News);
• 1997 - The Growing Stage, Inc., Purcellville, VA, directed by Dolly Stevens (first version title:The Waterford Girls).

FURTHER RESOURCES

• ARTICLE on the true history of Lida, Lizzie and Sarah: "Bent on Having Their Own Way: Three Women Journalists of the Civil War"
• FIRST PRODUCTION HISTORY: "Song for Unsung Heroes" by Meredith Bean McMath
• INFORMATION on WATERFORD, VIRGINIA (including books on the history of Civil War Waterford and a compendium of The Waterford News newspapers): The Waterford Foundation.
• 1997 REVIEW: "McMath's Waterford Girls Commands Attention," Loudoun Times-Mirror (PDF file)
• 2003 ARTICLE: "The Play's the Thing in Lincoln," Loudoun Times-Mirror (PDF file)
• VIDEO orders
• PERFORMANCE RIGHTS: Contact Meredith Bean McMath at RRRtheatre@gmail.com

For Further Information on Run Rabbit Run Theatre, CLICK HERE