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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground Also see Susan's reviews of Mister Lincoln, Exception to the Rule, and Jaja's African Hair Braiding
John Rubinstein vividly brings Eisenhower to life, displaying the methodical thought process behind his opinions–many of which seem surprisingly modern–along with his dry humor and imposing (though not threatening) posture. Director Peter Ellenstein places the audience in Eisenhower's home in retirement on his farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in 1962; the major focus of Michael Deegan's scenic design is a large, central picture window, where Esquire Jauchem's lighting design and Joe Huppert's projection and sound design conjure up family photos and other touchstones of memory. Richard Hellesen wrote the pithy script using Eisenhower's memoirs, speeches and letters, and frames the performance as the man's comments on a 1962 New York Times Magazine poll of historians that placed him 22nd out of the then 31 former presidents. He shares his thoughts in a tape-recorded (one-sided) conversation with the author, who will help craft his memoirs. Eisenhower emphasizes that his philosophy is "taking a piece of ground and leaving it better than you found it," and points out that historical perspectives change constantly. For example, too many people today think of the 1950s as it appeared in television shows of the period: a quiet, calm postwar nation where all Americans "knew their place" in the social order. In describing his philosophy of governing, Eisenhower talks about how "history is made by slow progress" and cites some of his achievements: the creation of the Interstate Highway System; dealing with the threats posed by demagogue Senator Joseph McCarthy (who, he says, "was not out there by himself"); and bringing in federal troops to protect the first Black students entering a formerly segregated high school in Little Rock, Arkansas. He also tells an amusing story about Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev wanting to go to Disneyland during his historic U.S. visit. Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground runs through October 27, 2024, at Olney Theatre Center, Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney MD. For tickets and information, please call 301-924-3400 or visit www.olneytheatre.org. By Richard Hellesen President Dwight D. Eisenhower: John Rubinstein |
