"The Senator" Play

The Fort Caspar Museum Association has partnered with Stage III and the Theatre of the Poor to stage a lavish production of the lost play, “The Senator,” September 15, 16, and 17 at the Natrona County High School Auditorium. Admission to the play is free, but guests must reserve tickets in advance due to anticipated demand. Tickets may be reserved through the link above.

Those unable to attend in person may watch a live stream of the play on Saturday, September 16th at 7:00 pm MST or Sunday, September 17th at 2:00 pm MST. Link to the Fort Caspar Museum Association's Facebook page is above.

Written by David D. Lloyd and Sydney Rosenfeld, “The Senator” is a fictitious story of an elderly man who has struggled for decades to move a claim of damages from the War of 1812 through the Senate. Near the end of his life, he enlists the help of the charming and charismatic Senator Hannibal Rivers to fight for the claim one last time. A classic melodrama of the 19th century, “The Senator” is filled with romance, humor, and political intrigue.

The character of Senator Hannibal Rivers was played by famed Broadway actor and film star William H. Crane. He visited the Senate in 1889 and took inspiration from Senator Preston B. Plumb of Kansas for the character. Crane shadowed Plumb for several weeks and incorporated Plumb’s personal history, mannerisms, and personality into the character of Senator Rivers. Even going so far as to copy Plumb’s facial hair and manner of dress.

Senator Preston B. Plumb was a leading Republican Senator of the time and was well known as a workhorse who championed more bills through the Senate than most other senators. He frequently took on “lost causes” and was well respected for his integrity and honesty. During the Civil War, he served as the Lieutenant Colonel of the 11th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry and was stationed in Casper, Wyoming in 1865. As a U.S. Senator, Plumb was known as the "Senator of the West" as he advocation for the western territories who did not yet have Senate representation (including Wyoming). His work of making the Department of Agriculture its own federal department, creating the first forestry laws, preserving the Shoshone National Forest, and countless other bills directly impacted the Wyoming territory. Local Casper historian, Johanna Wickman, discovered the lost script to “The Senator” while conducting research for her biography of Preston B. Plumb called “The Forgotten Senator,” published in March 2023.

“The Senator” premiered in 1890 and ran for 119 performances on Broadway before touring the nation. The popular play was later made into a now-lost silent film in 1915.  The last known performance of “The Senator” was also in 1915. Directed by William Conte, this upcoming production will be as faithful to the original play as possible, including lavish sets and costuming, period music, and period living historians intermingled in the audience.

For more information on “The Senator” please contact Johanna Wickman with the Fort Caspar Museum Association. For more information on “The Forgotten Senator” and Preston B. Plumb please visit the book on Amazon here or www.prestonplumb.com