A new historical novel called The House Is on Fire, by local author Rachel Beanland, tells the story of a deadly theater fire in Richmond in 1811 that killed more than 70 people.
It traces the tragedy from the perspective of four real-life characters: The daughter of Patrick Henry — who has to fight not only to get out of the burning building but has to battle inequality; a young stagehand who to tries to warn his theater troupe about the fire; and two enslaved African Americans whose lives, like all the characters, are forever altered by the event.
All their actions tell a bigger story about life in early America.
Beanland will be speaking about her book Thursday at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.
The entire interview has been edited for content and flow.
