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Paula Vogel’s A Civil War Christmas strives to live up to its billing as an “American Musical Celebration,” using a 14-member cast to portraying more than 35 characters in a myriad of stories amidst countless songs. Unfortunately, the Pulitzer-prize winning playwright’s two-and-a-half-hour long work leaves us confused and wondering just who’s doing the celebrating and why as this "Christmas" has its world premiere at Long Wharf Theater’s Stage I.

One of the stories unfolding in the piece, which takes place on Christmas Eve 1864, involves Hannah (Bianca Laverne Jones) and her daughter Jessa (a role shared by Faith Philpot and Malenky Welsh). They escape slavery and head to the White House where they believe the president will help them. Simultaneously, President Lincoln (Jay Russell) and wife Mary (Diane Sutherland) worry about what to get each other for Christmas, even as John Wilkes Booth (Guy Adkins) and conspirators plot to kidnap the president. From the world of arts and letters, Walt Whitman (also Russell) and Clara Barton (Rachel Shapiro Alderman) make appearances in Christmas, and we see them comforting wounded soldiers.

Vogel centers on other, less historic characters as well including seamstress Elizabeth Keckley (Ora Jones), who tries to bury memories of her lost son and her days as a slave in her work. Decator Bronson (Marc Damon Johnson) busies himself as a blacksmith for Union soldiers as he searches for his wife, sold into slavery. Young Raz (Susannah Flood) steals the family’s best horse and heads off to join the Confederate boys in battle.

With “and others” added in the program following the list of multiple characters portrayed by each actor, it’s no surprise that it can get rather confusing to keep track of who’s who. Some women portray across gender, simply donning a top hat while still in full Victorian hoop dress to morph into one of Lincoln’s war cabinet advisors, for example (costumes by Toni-Leslie James as exquisitely detailed and in soft, dark tones capturing the mood of the stories). Two actors amusingly portray a horse and mule in some of the drama’s few comedic moments. Young Raz is portrayed by a woman, giving fuel to the thought that he will be revealed to be a female by his Confederate troops à la Mulan, but it turns out to just to be more multiple casting. When young Jenna, separated from her mother, returns in search of the White House, we realize that we’d forgotten about her in the midst of all of the other stories and songs that had taken place.

The most compelling aspect of "Christmas" is Keckley’s story, which contains Vogel's richest character development. Vogel's writing is made deeper by Jones’ moving portrayal and grand singing voice. When "Christmas" focuses on this woman, we witness her days as a slave and feel her hate for the master who abuses her. She’s haunted by the memories of her college-educated son who was lost in battle. Ultimately, she becomes a confidant of Mrs. Lincoln, who along with Lincoln, is seen in an exceptionally unflattering light. Vogel depicts them as a couple of buffoons oblivious to the dramas taking place around them.

The music, traditional songs mixed with spirituals is supervised, arranged and orchestrated with incidental music by Daryl Waters. The musical is directed by Tina Landau, who makes good use of set designer James Schuette’s multi level wooden planks which give dimension and definition to the various scenes on the deep thrust stage.

All of the stories conclude and everyone sings around a Christmas tree and the message seems to be that though we’re a nation of many experiences, we are one people with one voice and that giving the gladness of your heart is the best gift of all. It's a simple message that's almost lost in the crowd here.

---- Lauren Yarger

A Civil War Christmas plays at Long Wharf Theatre Stage I (222 Sargent Drive, New Haven, CT) through Dec. 21. Performances are Tuesdays at 7 pm, Wednesdays at 2 and 7 pm, Thursdays and Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 3 and 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 and 7pm. Tickets start at $32 and are available by calling 203-787-4282 or online at www.longwharf.org.