Tudor Place As Stage

Fifth-grade students from Stoddert Elementary performed a series of short plays this evening on the south lawn of the mansion for their friends, family, and staff.

The plays, depicting various 19th and 20th-century historical events, have been performed by Stoddert students for the past four Mays.

Talia Mosconi, Director of Education, said the community partnership between Tudor Place and Stoddert is one of her personal favorites because "we get to see students grow over the whole year".

"It's especially good for Tudor Place because the kids get to interact regularly with the home and it's artifacts and even get to act out scenes from its past".

The short plays were written by Mosconi and include a meeting between the original Peter family and their architect, Dr. William Thornton, in which they discuss the architectural design.

The second play depicts a Civil War scene in which the southern sympathizing owner, Britannia Peter, confronts Union officers who are boarding at Tudor Place but discussing the war, which she has forbidden.

The other 19th-century play shows President Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves, including John Luckett who would work as the Tudor Place gardener for close to 50 years. 20th-century plays portrayed discussions during the women suffrage struggle and homecomings after World Wars I and II.

Ana Frum, a student actress, was offended upon learning that women couldn't vote just 100 years ago. "It was kind of stupid that people were rejected based on gender and that men were judged to be better based on gender."