Arkansas PBS > Engage > Pressroom > 'The Hanging of David O. Dodd' to air on AETN Sept. 19
Posted 14 Sep 2016
The Arkansas Educational Television Network will premiere “The Hanging of David O. Dodd,' a one-hour docudrama, Monday, Sept. 19, at 9 p.m.
'The Hanging of David O. Dodd' was shot entirely in Arkansas and tells the story of famous Arkansas Civil War subject, David O. Dodd. The film explores how in December 1863, Dodd was hanged as a spy by the Union army in Little Rock, Arkansas. He had been transporting letters for his father when he mistakenly reentered Union territory and was found without a pass. Union soldiers found a notebook on his person with the locations of Union troops in the area.
The film is based on an original two-act stage play written by Phillip H. McMath that was produced in 2011 by The Weekend Theater of Little Rock and directed by Ralph Hyman. It utilizes the same actors and costumes of the play, incorporating scenes from both the actual performance and on-location settings such as Curran Hall, 'The Ten-Mile House,' Mount Holly Cemetery, the Old Statehouse Museum and Trapnall Hall.
'I am deeply grateful to AETN for airing the docudrama, 'The Hanging of David O. Dodd,' skillfully directed by Huixia Lu and Will Scott, and likewise to The Weekend Theater for supporting the filming of the stage play upon which the docudrama is based,' McMath said.
The film features interviews with Arkansas Tech University professor Dr. Thomas Deblack, University of Arkansas at Little Rock professor Dr. Carl H. Honeyhon, and University of Arkansas at Fayetteville professor Dr. Charles Robinson II. It also includes interviews with film director Huixia Lu, Weekend Theater show director Ralph Hyman, and Weekend Theater actor Aron Long.
“The Hanging of David O. Dodd' weaves the actual story of Dodd as a Confederate spy with that of two fictional women, Medora Pilgrim and her cousin, Philomena Tottenburg. The characters find themselves united in a painful dilemma as they struggle with the eternal issues of mercy and justice, faith and reason, and war and peace.
AETN is the premier broadcast venue for Arkansas's independent film producers. The network strives to showcase indie films from and about Arkansans, turning the spotlight to a wide range of topics that might otherwise go unnoticed.
The Arkansas Educational Television Network is Arkansas's statewide public television network that enhances lives by providing lifelong learning opportunities for people from all walks of life. AETN delivers local, award-winning productions and classic, trusted PBS programs aimed at sharing Arkansas and the world with viewers. AETN depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. Additional information is available at aetn.org. AETN is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro) and KETZ (El Dorado).