Playwright Anna Deavere Smith staged a new play titled “Basil Biggs” this June at the Wilma Theatre in Philadelphia [1].
The production connects personal family lineage to the broader American experience during the nation's 250th anniversary [2]. By dramatizing the life of her ancestor, Smith examines the labor and legacies associated with the aftermath of the Civil War.
The play centers on Smith's great-great-grandfather, Basil Biggs [1]. Biggs was contracted to disinter and rebury Union dead following the conflict [1]. Smith said she wrote the work to honor her ancestor and share his specific history with a modern audience [1].
The performance took place as part of the ArtPhilly “What Now” festival [3]. The production ran for three consecutive days [3]. The world premiere featured John Clarence Stewart in the title role [3].
Smith, an educator and actor known for her documentary-style theater, used the project to explore the intersection of family history and national memory [1]. The staging in Philadelphia aligns with the city's role in the current anniversary celebrations of the U.S. [2].
The work serves as a focal point for discussing how individual lives—particularly those of Black Americans—contributed to the reconstruction of the country [1]. Through the story of Biggs, the play highlights the often-overlooked physical and emotional labor of managing the dead in the wake of war [1].
“The play centers on Smith's great-great-grandfather, Basil Biggs.”
The staging of 'Basil Biggs' during the U.S. 250th anniversary reflects a broader cultural trend of using ancestral narratives to challenge or expand official national histories. By focusing on the specific, visceral task of reburying Civil War dead, Smith shifts the anniversary lens from political milestones to the lived experiences of marginalized individuals who labored in the war's shadow.
