Angel of Mercy

Iron Horse Theatre Company's production of Angel of Mercy shows us a small glimpse into the life and final days of Fannie Sellins, a iconic union organizer working with miners of the Allegheny River Valley in the early 1900s, written by Pittsburgh locals Dave Borland and London Cain, who is also the founder of Iron Horse. This production is both educational and touching. We see her strained relationship with her children, her commitment to get better workers' rights of immigrants and people of color in a time where most were not willing to show any kindness, and her passion for supporting the families of those workers.

"This is the story of a prominent individual who showed through her life and death the power that can come from solidarity in numbers. 10,000 people marched on Fannie Sellins' funeral because she truly believed in putting rights, safety measures, and more meals back in the hands of the tireless workers. But at what cost?" Jillian Lovelace, via the Director's Note

The play begins at Fannie's husband Charles' funeral, who died in an accident in the mines, where she promises to continue on the work he left behind as a union organizer. We next see her in jail as a result of this work, but it's clear that she'd rather be thrown in jail a thousand times than stand down and continues on to be persecuted for her work. The people of Ducktown think she's crazy, and her children almost resent her for her and Charles' union work taking time away from getting to be a family. "You ain't really livin' if you ain't got dreams," and Fannie's dream was to better the lives those doing these strenuous, manual labor jobs. Christy Rodibaugh's portrayal of Fannie is inspired and powerful, and you can't help but feel pulled in by her every word. I was truly moved by her performance.

Most of the play and its conflict takes place in the days leading up to Ducktown's parade to honor those who served in the war. The parade is at risk of not being able to occur due to a strike organized by Fannie, and Fannie's daughter, Dorothy Broad (played by Dorothy Flemming) is pressured from the mayor and church to quell her mother's activities or else. Fannie refuses to listen to Dorothy's pleas to stop what she's doing or leave town, and Dorothy is left to accept that there really is nothing she can do to stop her mother from pursuing her goal. Rodibaugh's and Flemming's chemistry as mother and daughter is intense, creating palpable tension and heart-wrenching moments of helplessness and frustration.

The production is supported by simple lighting, sound, and a few set pieces in a way that felt intentional to keep our attention on Fannie. Iron Horse's space is small but mighty, and an emotional story like this one does well in the space. If you don't know the story of Fannie Sellins, Angel of Mercy is a great way to learn it.

Angel of Mercy concludes its run in Ambridge this weekend, with just two more opportunities to witness the production on October 24th and 25th. You can visit Iron Horse Theatre Company's website to purchase tickets.