An ameteur troupe of variety show actors haul into Abingdon Town to celebrate the victory of the United States over the British in the War of 1812. But as the show continues, this bumbling cast of characters cannot seem to keep the drama backstage from spilling out into the spotlight. In Patrick Perkins's playwriting debut with The Shadow Players, the audience is invited to take a step back in time and be a part of the show as an authentic nineteenth century audience.