Steve Frey
On one of those perfect summer evenings last Friday, we were part of an appreciative audience who enjoyed the newest version of “Walk to Freedom: The Mary Draper Ingles Story.”
The stage at Nesselrod Bed & Breakfast is nestled among trees and rolling hills, and as the large crowd settled into seats up front or on the tiers creating a natural amphitheater, the heat of the day had been cooled by the shade of the tall trees forming a natural perimeter around the outdoor theater.
But as lovely as the setting was, it couldn’t touch the beauty of this excellent production. The newest version of the courageous story of Mary Draper Ingles and her amazing 600-mile journey home comes to life through the masterful writing of Kathleen Harvey Harshberger and Wesley Young.
They have covered all of the essential points in the historical drama with a fast-paced, action-filled production that includes every emotion possible, but focuses primarily on love and home.
Young also skillfully directed the play, and the characters seamlessly shift from a reenactment of Mary being reunited with sister-in-law Bettie Draper in 1761 to a retelling of their experiences in being taken by a band of Shawnee braves in 1755.
The characters share the account through narration and reminiscence, but mostly through fantastic acting.
Yes, this is a polished production filled with outstanding actors who brilliantly portray their characters’ trials and tribulations on the early Virginia frontier.
The very reasonable ticket prices of $15 for the play or $50 for dinner and reserved seating provide production values, which might cost much more in a different venue. But back to the acting!
Robyn Berg is the quintessentially strong frontierswoman in the starring role of Mary Draper Ingles. The love between Mary and William Ingles, played by David Ratliff, is evident.
She is also a protective, loving mother for her children, played by Sophia McCroskey as Thomas Ingles and Laken Thompson as George Ingles. McCroskey and Thompson very effectively express the shock and fear of the whirlwind attack on the settlement and the painful experience of captivity.
At the same time, Berg is able to portray a strength in Mary that holds everyone together and keeps them alive, as well as the courage and stamina she needs to get both herself and the “Dutch” woman back home after experiencing starvation and extreme exposure in the cold.
The Shawnees recognize and respect her strength, which allows her to avoid some danger and even death.
As an aside, look for the point in the play where Berg is wrapped in a blanket and holds a walking staff in perfect homage to Mary and her stalwart, stoic figure forever preserved in bronze sculpture near the Glencoe Mansion, Museum and Gallery in Radford.
Molly Hood plays Bettie Draper, who is traumatized by the Shawnee raid, its impact on her child and mother, and her severe wound.
Hood’s range of emotions is incredible, and the audience feels her anguish and, if not for Mary’s support and inner strength, her willingness to surrender to emotional and physical pain.
Amy Rice creates a character the audience loves to hate as the German-accented Mrs. Bingamin. Her nagging, complaining and potentially lethal nature is the perfect contrast to the strong, spiritual and determined Mary.
Director Young has Mary and Bingamin move through the tiers around the stage to illustrate their long journey, and when Mary “crosses the river,” the audience feels they are genuinely walking parallel to each other on separate shores, but I’ll let you see the effect rather than describing it in further detail!
Megan Ward produces an authentic Irish brogue as Bettie’s mother, Eleanor Draper, and is a fearsome Shawnee woman in the gauntlet scene.
Ben Taylor is a frightening Wild Horse, who has to be restrained from further attacking survivors.
Jacob McNulty plays a distinguished Colonel James Patton, the leader of the settlement, and has a great French accent at Pierre La Valle, who provides comic relief as an egocentric French trader.
Besides playing William Ingles, David Ratliff also plays Chief Cornstalk who talks of peace and saves Mary’s life as opposed to Brandon Duncan’s Chief Blackfish who calls for war and bloodshed.
Through Cornstalk and Mary, writers Harshberger and Young are able to emphasize that not all of the members of the Shawnee tribe are destructive and, in fact, many recognize the good in the foreigners coming west. Mary, considering her experiences, is extremely noble in seeing virtue in others.
Chelsea Wood, the costume designer, did a great job of reproducing frontier-era clothing and accessories for the characters. Matt Treacy has employed music that complements the action, and the song opening the play is both beautiful and assistive in introducing the story.
Kailey Absher, stage manager; Carl Lefko, production consultant; David Ratliff, technical director; and Austin Downs, production assistant round out the team putting together this vibrant historical drama.
If you haven’t seen the production, you still have a chance. The last three performances for this summer are on July 27, 28 and 29.
Also, Ingles Farm, where Mary and William settled and had a ferry across the New River along the Wilderness Road will be open on July 28 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at 9 Wilderness Road in Radford.
The farm is only open on selected dates each year, so this is a rare chance to see up close the history related to Mary, William and their family.
Hopefully, this production will be an annual tradition in Radford. Not only is it an outstanding theatrical presentation, but it also helps to tell the story of life for early settlers to the New River Valley along with their hopes, dreams, joys and hardships.
At the end of the performance, the actors emphasize the essence of what provided Mary with the strength to get back: the love of family and love of home.
As the audience loudly applauded the actors at the conclusion of the play, the New River gently flowed by just a few hundred yards through the woods from the stage.
It is the same river that guided a brave young woman home for so many miles and over so many months, so many years ago.
Yes, this story is all about home. Don’t miss it!
Steve Frey is a writer and CEO of Ascendant Educational Services based in Radford.
