She Would Be a Soldier; Or, The Plains of Chippewa

A young woman on the open Chippewa plains dreams of swapping skirts for a soldier’s coat, determined to prove that bravery knows no gender. She wrestles with the expectations of her frontier community, where duty to family and land clashes with her yearning for the battlefield’s honor. In her quest, she encounters rugged trappers, skeptical militia officers, and the restless spirit of the American West, all of which test her resolve and reveal the harsh realities of life on the frontier.

The play’s language crackles with the immediacy of early‑American drama, its scenes vivid enough to feel like a living tableau of 1810s frontier life. Its creator’s own experience as a journalist, diplomat, and political agitator lends the dialogue a sharp, witty edge that still resonates today. Listeners will be drawn into the raw energy of the first act, where ambition and tradition collide, setting the stage for a compelling exploration of courage and identity.