Ford's Theatre Society Hosts 2 Open Houses 2/12 And 2/16

The National Park Service and Ford's Theatre Society will host two open houses in the newly renovated Ford's Theatre (511 10th Street NW) on February 12, 2009, and February 16, 2009. The theatre will be open to the general public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free tickets will be available at the Ford's Theatre Box Office beginning at 8:30 a.m. each day.

On February 12, the site will commemorate Lincoln's 200th birthday with a wreath-laying at 8:45 a.m. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., visitors will enjoy performances on the hour by the Federal City Brass Band, watch presentations of Lincoln speeches by D.C. area students and participate in Ranger-led interpretive programs commemorating Lincoln's presidency.

On February 16, Presidents' Day, visitors are invited to hear a staged reading of the new one-act play "The Road from Appomattox" by Richard Hellesen, watch performances of One Destiny and hear excerpts from the musical "The Civil War," and participate Ranger-led interpretive programs. Washington, D.C.-based bakery CakeLove will be on site at Ford's Theatre during the event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with complimentary cupcakes for visitors to help commemorate the Lincoln Bicentennial. Quantities are limited. Ford's Theatre also will be holding a one-day sale on tickets to its preview week performances of "The Civil War." Tickets will be sold for $20 and must be purchased in person at the Ford's Theatre Box Office on Monday, February 16. 

All open house events are free and open to the public, however tickets are required for all visitors two years of age and older. Free ticket distribution from the Ford's Theatre Box Office starts at 8:30 a.m. on February 12 and 16. Final entry to the theatre is 4:15 p.m.

The open house schedule is as follows:

Thursday, February 12, 2009

8:30 a.m. - Box Office opens for ticket distribution

8:45 a.m. - Wreath-laying by the National Park Service in front of the historic theatre

9:00 a.m. - Lobby doors open; Federal City Brass Band performs; Ranger-led interpretive program; National Park Service Rangers will present interpretive programs about The Life, assassination and legacy of Abraham Lincoln; Area students present Lincoln speeches.

From 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. - students from Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School and Washington Latin Public Charter School will recite the Emancipation Proclamation and Lincoln's first inaugural address; students from EL Haynes Public Charter School will present Lincoln's second inaugural address.

10:00 a.m. - Federal City Brass Band performs; Ranger-led interpretive program; National Park Service Rangers will present interpretive programs about The Life, assassination and legacy of Abraham Lincoln; Area students present Lincoln speeches.

From 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. - students from EL Haynes Public Charter School will present Lincoln's House Divided speech; Students from Stoddert Elementary School will recite the Gettysburg Address and Lincoln's Address to the 166th Ohio Regiment.

11:00 a.m. - Federal City Brass Band performs; Ranger-led interpretive program; National Park Service Rangers will present interpretive programs about The Life, assassination and legacy of Abraham Lincoln; Area students present Lincoln speeches.

From 11 a.m. to 12 noon -  students from Center City Public Charter School will recite Lincoln's first inaugural address; students from Aiton Elementary School will recite Lincoln's Address to the 166th Ohio Regiment and the Gettysburg Address; and students from Central High School will recite the Gettysburg Address.

12:00 noon - Federal City Brass Band performs; Ranger-led interpretive program; National Park Service Rangers will present interpretive programs about The Life, assassination and legacy of Abraham Lincoln; Area students present Lincoln speeches.

From noon to 1 p.m. -  students from City Collegiate Public Charter School will present Lincoln's second inaugural address. Students from Washington Classical Christian School will recite Lincoln's Response to a Serenade and the Address to the 166th Ohio Regiment. Central High School students, from Capitol Heights, MD, will also perform the Emancipation Proclamation. Ranger-led interpretive program; National Park Service Rangers will present interpretive programs about The Life, assassination and legacy of Abraham Lincoln.

1:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. - Ranger-led interpretive programs; National Park Service Rangers will present interpretive programs about The Life, assassination and legacy of Abraham Lincoln.

Monday, February 16, 2009

8:30 a.m. - Box Office opens for ticket distribution

9:00 a.m. - Lobby doors open

9:15 a.m. - Ranger-led interpretive program; National Park Service Rangers will present interpretive programs about The Life, assassination and legacy of Abraham Lincoln.

10:15 a.m. - Ranger-led interpretive program; National Park Service Rangers will present interpretive programs about The Life, assassination and legacy of Abraham Lincoln.

11:15 a.m. - Ranger-led interpretive program; National Park Service Rangers will present interpretive programs about The Life, assassination and legacy of Abraham Lincoln.

12:15 p.m. - Performance of "One Destiny"; Ford's Theatre interprets the events leading up to President Lincoln's assassination with a captivating performance that brings the drama and emotion of the Civil War alive. Written by playwright Richard Hellesen, "One Destiny" tells the story of Lincoln's last night through the voices of the men who worked in the theatre.

1:15 p.m. - Excerpts from "The Civil War"; Explore the musical landscape of the people, voices and sentiments of the American Civil War, inspired by the words of Walt Whitman, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth and Abraham Lincoln as well as the lives (as documented through letters, photographs and journals) of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. "The Civil War" will be presented in its entirety at Ford's Theatre from March 24 to May 27, 2009.

2:15 p.m. - Performance of "One Destiny"; Ford's Theatre interprets the events leading up to President Lincoln's assassination with a captivating performance that brings the drama and emotion of the Civil War alive. Written by playwright Richard Hellesen, "One Destiny" tells the story of Lincoln's last night through the voices of the men who worked in the theatre.

3:15 p.m. - Performance of "The Road from Appomattox"; Confederate General Robert E. Lee's surrender to Union General Ulysses S. Grant is well-recorded, but their short meeting the next day less so.  In this new one-act play "The Road from Appomattox" by Richard Hellesen, learn how together they ended the Civil War with mercy and the best interests of the country in mind.

4:15 p.m. - Ranger-led interpretive program; National Park Service Rangers will present interpretive programs about The Life, assassination and legacy of Abraham Lincoln.

Ford's Theatre Society works to present the Theatre's nearly one million visitors each year with a high quality historical and cultural experience, enhancing the vibrancy of this historic site, an important tool for promoting the ideals of leadership, humanity and wisdom espoused by Abraham Lincoln.

Since the arrival of Paul R. Tetreault as Director, Ford's Theatre Society has been recognized by the critics and theatergoing public for the superior quality of its artistic programming. With works from the nationally acclaimed "Big River" to the regional premiere of "Trying" and world premiere of "Meet John Doe," Ford's Theatre has undoubtedly begun to make its mark on the American theatre landscape.

In addition, through the leadership of Wayne R. Reynolds, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the mission of Ford's Theatre Society has been expanded to include education as a central pillar of the organization, equal to that of producing theatre of the highest quality. As Ford's Theatre looks to the future, the health of the organization will be defined and determined not only by the quality of the productions on the stage but also by the success of its educational programming in teaching about The Life, Presidency and lessons of leadership of Abraham Lincoln.

For more information on Ford's Theatre and the Ford's Theatre Society, please visit www.fords.org.

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