Video

ANDERSONVILLE: AN AMERICAN MUSICAL
Book, Music & Lyrics by Jim Tropp

Andersonville is a new stage musical about family, faith, and the promise of America.

In 1864, Cory, a young Irish immigrant, crosses the Atlantic with his childhood friend Thomas, carrying little more than hope and a letter from his sister Mary, who is waiting for him in Wisconsin. Like so many before him, Cory believes America is a place where families can be reunited, work is honest, and a person’s worth is not determined by where they were born.

When the two friends part ways in New York, with Thomas heading south to Georgia and Cory planning to continue west, Cory’s journey is derailed by the harsh realities faced by new arrivals. In the city, he meets Daniel, a man who has escaped slavery, and their growing friendship forces Cory to confront a painful truth: the freedom he seeks for himself has long been denied to others. Through Daniel’s searing testimony in Ain’t Free… Not Yet, Cory’s understanding of America is shattered and reshaped.

Guided by faith, sustained by love for his sister, and awakened by Daniel’s courage, Cory begins to imagine a Beautiful America, not as a place of comfort, but as a responsibility. Moved by that belief, he enlists in the Union Army, determined to fight for a nation that lives up to its promise.

Captured in battle and sent to the notorious Andersonville prison, Cory endures unimaginable suffering, where survival itself becomes an act of courage. In a world stripped of mercy, men cling to memory, prayer, and one another. Faith is tested to its breaking point in moments like Let It Rain, when hope rises from desperation and grace appears in the unlikeliest of places.

Through songs such as From Leitrim to Fulton, Ain’t Free… Not Yet, Let It Rain, and Beautiful America, the musical travels from Ireland to New York, from hope to sacrifice, and from grief to grace. In the end, Andersonville reminds us that America is not something we inherit; it is something we choose, protect, and build together.