Relive The Lincoln-Douglas Debates At Town Hall Seattle As Part Of Intiman Theatre's American Cycle On 9/22

Intiman Theatre and Town Hall Seattle’s Center for Civic Life will co-present a dramatic reading of selections from the Lincoln-Douglas Debates on Tuesday, September 22 from 7:30-9 pm as part of Intiman’s American Cycle series and its production of Robert E. Sherwood’s play Abe Lincoln in Illinois. Actors Erik Lochtefeld and R. Hamilton Wright will take a night off from rehearsal to read the words of Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, the characters they will play in Intiman’s forthcoming production.

Tickets are $5 at available now from www.brownpapertickets.com or 800.838.3006, and at the door beginning at 6:30 pm. Intiman subscribers and Town Hall members will receive priority seating. Town Hall is located at 1119 Eighth Avenue (at Seneca Street).

A series of seven debates convened during the 1858 Illinois senatorial campaign, the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, primarily about the morality of slavery, were a seminal moment in American political history. Lincoln, the Republican challenger, was a little-known upstart taking on a political giant. Although he lost the election for senator, the debates were a critical part of shaping his national profile as he grew to lead his country through a time of fear and uncertainty. The 45-minute reading will be followed by a discussion with the audience.

In this year of the Lincoln Bicentennial, the American Cycle is an opportunity for audiences to discover the man who became president—and to explore what it means to be a hero today, when we are faced with our own extreme challenges and choices. A city-wide initiative, the Cycle is a catalyst for local civic dialogue, with free-standing events for artists, diverse audiences, students and different communities offered at a wide range of accessible locations.

The centerpiece of the American Cycle is Robert E. Sherwood’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Abe Lincoln in Illinois, directed by Sheila Daniels. The production features Erik Lochtefeld as Abe Lincoln, former Seattleite Mary Jane Gibson as Mary Todd Lincoln, and a company of actors from every generation of Seattle’s theatre community: Hans Altwies, Clayton Corzatte, Susan Corzatte, Philip Davidson, Angela DiMarco, Langston Emerson Guettinger, Russell Hodgkinson, Reginald André Jackson, Peter Dylan O’Connor, Hannah Robinson, Jose Rufino, Matt Shimkus, Richard Nguyen Sloniker, Adam Standley, Kate Wisniewski and R. Hamilton Wright, and musician John Ackermann.

Performances begin on Friday, October 2 and continue through Sunday, November 15 at 2 pm. The opening night performance is Friday, October 9 at 8 pm. Tickets are available from www.intiman.org or 206.269.1900.

A vibrant gathering place in an historic building in the heart of downtown, Town Hall fosters cultural expression and the exchange of ideas through arts, education, humanities, and civic programs. It exists to reflect and inspire this region’s best impulses—toward creativity, empathy, expansive thinking, and an ever-widening conception of community. Formed collaboratively in 1998 as a shared venue, Town Hall extends the reach and capacity of its Presenting Partners and occasional users with an accomplished producing and promotional structure, designed to complement their work with self-produced offerings that complete the tapestry of Seattle's cultural life. Now in its tenth year, Town Hall prides itself on its role as a venue and a producer, a responsive host, and a catalytic cultural force, serving nearly 100,000 artists and audiences in 330+ events annually. The 2009-10 Season is made possible by the generous support of 4Culture, The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, ArtsFund, and the Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs.  Season media sponsorship provided by KUOW 94.9 FM, The Stranger, and City Arts Magazine. For more information, visit www.townhallseattle.org.

The American Cycle is sponsored by Microsoft Corporation, PONCHO and Ameriprise Financial. Media Sponsorship is provided by KUOW.

Seasonal support for Intiman Theatre is provided by ArtsFund; Intiman Theatre Foundation; Kreielsheimer Remainder Foundation; The Leading National Theatres Program, a joint initiative of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; The Shubert Foundation; and Washington State Arts Commission.

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