THE APEX TIMES
Anna Deavere Smith brings family history to the stage in “Basil Biggs”
The playwright’s new show recounts the life of her great-great-grandfather, a free Black man whose work at Gettysburg is described as entwined with preparations for Abraham Lincoln’s most famous speech.
Playwright Anna Deavere Smith is set to present a new stage show, “Basil Biggs,” centered on her own family history, according to NPR’s preview published June 25, 2026. The program traces the life of her great-great-grandfather, a free Black man whose story, as described in the show, connects the aftermath of the Civil War to the presentation of Abraham Lincoln’s remarks at Gettysburg.
Smith’s show focuses on Biggs’s work after the battle, including the role NPR says he played in reburial work for Union dead at Gettysburg. In the production’s account, Biggs’s labor is positioned not only as recovery and community care, but also as part of the conditions that made the Gettysburg ceremony possible.
In addition to the burial account, NPR says the show depicts Biggs as someone who prepared the ground for Lincoln’s most famous speech. The NPR description frames this preparation as a bridge between private lineage and public national memory, using Smith’s perspective to carry the story onto the stage.
The production is described as being grounded in Smith telling her own family story, rather than treating Biggs’s life as a distant historical anecdote. NPR’s preview emphasizes the personal framing, indicating that the show uses Smith’s familial connection to anchor the narrative of work, order, and remembrance at a moment of national crisis.
“Basil Biggs” arrives as audiences continue to look for new theatrical works that bring lesser-known figures into the spotlight of widely recognized historical events. By centering a family member connected to Gettysburg through reburial and preparation, the show highlights the kind of behind-the-scenes contributions that typically do not appear in the standard telling of major presidential speeches.
The NPR preview does not specify casting, performance dates, or the producing venue in the description provided for this package. As a result, readers looking for ticketing and scheduling information are likely to need to consult the show’s official listings once released by the production or presenting organization.
Why It Matters
- Theatre audiences get a new dramatized entry point into a widely taught historical moment, centered on labor and preparation connected to Gettysburg rather than the speech itself.
- By anchoring the account in Smith’s family lineage, the show may shape how viewers think about who participated in national memory after the Civil War.
- The story’s emphasis on burial and site preparation highlights public-health and civic-order concerns that followed mass casualties.
- If the production’s performance schedule and venue are forthcoming, ticketing and educational programming may follow, affecting how institutions present Civil War history to the public.
Key Facts
- Playwright Anna Deavere Smith is presenting a new show titled “Basil Biggs.”
- NPR’s June 25, 2026 preview describes “Basil Biggs” as Smith telling her own family story.
- The show focuses on Smith’s great-great-grandfather, described as a free Black man.
- NPR says Biggs reburied Union dead at Gettysburg.
- NPR says the show depicts Biggs as preparing the ground for Abraham Lincoln’s most famous speech.