“Deborah Sampson,” played by Judith Kalaora, will visit Walpole, just minutes from her home in Sharon, MA, to tell her incredible story at the Walpole Public Library on Wednesday, April 12, at 7:00 p.m.
Deborah Samson [Sampson], the first woman to enlist, to fight, and to be honorably discharged from the American military, captivates audiences in an hour-long program chronicling her life. An indentured servant by age five, Deborah grew up in a man’s world, where women were naught but second-class citizens. Without the ability to vote or to own property, Deborah knew her options were limited; breaking the rules may be necessary to accomplish a greater goal in life.
‘Deborah Sampson’ played by Judith Kalaora
As a self-educated woman, Deborah was the only schoolmarm in Middleborough, Massachusetts. However, she felt a higher calling, as she heard news of the rebellion while working in the local tavern. After ten years working as a farm hand, Deborah was strong and possessed the physical capabilities of her male counterparts. And then, on May 20, 1782, wearing an old soldier’s uniform, Deborah bound her chest, tied back her hair, and enlisted in the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment of the Continental Army, under the alias “Robert Shurtlieff.”
Through this performance, the audience experiences Mrs. Deborah Samson Gannett’s arduous upbringing, one-and-a-half years of active combat, and success as the first female professional soldier, through interactive stories and authentic colonial attire. As Kalaora says, “Deborah’s passion will take you back in time!”
Judith Kalaora, Founder and Artistic Director of “History At Play,” has garnered nationwide attention for her one-woman living history performances, chronicling the lives of legendary women who changed society. Her breakout performance in “A Revolution of Her Own!” has received accolades from journalists, actors, and historians alike and has earned national recognition, as the performance was an Official Selection of the United Solo Theatre Festival, performing on 42nd Street, New York City.
