A play chronicling the formative years of one of our nation's most important presidents, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, opens Civic Theatre of Allentown's theatrical season. The production will run from October 9th through October 25th.
Written by Robert E. Sherwood in 1938, Abe Lincoln in Illinois covers the life of Lincoln from his childhood through his final speech in Illinois before he left for Washington. His time spent as a backwoodsman, failed shopkeep and hard-luck senatorial candidate are all detailed, along with his romance with Mary Todd and his debates with Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln's own words are used often, and Sherwood received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1939 for this show.
Directed by Civic Artistic Director William Sanders, Abe Lincoln in Illinois is an actor-driven show featuring a diverse cast ranging in ages from 9 to 85, most of whom are playing multiple roles. Playing Abe is 26-year old Will Morris of Allentown, Civic's Technical Director; his acting experience at Civic includes the lead roles of Mitch in Tuesdays With Morrie, Bruce in The Full Monty and Homer Wells in Cider House Rules.
"Learning to view [Abe Lincoln] and know him as a human being rather than this heroic larger than life presidential figure has been the hardest part of playing him," says Morris, "when someone mentions the name of Abraham Lincoln, we get this iconic image of a man who was in reality very different from the persona we see him as."
Lincoln's name was mentioned often during the elections of 2008, and this year marks the 200th anniversary of his birth, both of which pushEd Sanders towards producing a show he had been considering for quite some time. "This is an excellent time to mount this rarely-done work," says Sanders, "it is a show that will leave you full of a new admiration for the spirit of fairness, equality and even-tempered, rhetoric-free governing that looked to the Declaration of Independence and not to political affiliation for inspiration and guidance."
Tickets are currently on sale for Abe Lincoln in Illinois and can be purchased by calling 610.432.8943 or by visiting Civic's Box Office at 527 N 19th Street in Allentown.
