Ford's Spring 2012 Daytime Programming Announced

Ford's Theatre Society announced that daytime programming for spring 2012 includes the popular History on Foot walking tours and performances of the one-act play One Destiny. The Society also offers a book-signing with historian Michael Burlingame and a presentation by author Anthony Pitch. As part of the 150th anniversary of D.C. Emancipation Day, Ford's Theatre will join forces with Cultural Tourism DC to create a scavenger hunt through the mobile app SCVNGR. 

One Destiny 
By Richard Hellesen; Directed by Mark Ramont
Learn about Lincoln's assassination from two men who were there. Actor Harry Hawk and Ford's Theatre co-owner Harry Ford revisit the events of April 14, 1865. As they reconstruct the sequence of events, they grapple with the question: Could John Wilkes Booth have been stopped? This 35-minute presentation explores the key facts of the assassination while capturing the emotions of that fateful night. Featuring costumed actors.

Performances of One Destiny
March, April and May Daytime performances begin March 20 and run Monday through Thursday at 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., and Fridays and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. (April 11 and April 25 at 10:30 a.m. only; no performance May 4 or 11). Performances begin 15 minutes after entry to the theatre.

Tickets for One Destiny
Tickets are required for all performances of One Destiny. Tickets are $7.50 in advance or $5.00 the day of the performance. Tickets for performances March though May are currently on sale. Tickets can be reserved through Ticketmaster at (800) 982-2787 or by visiting fords.org. Ticketmaster fees apply. Groups of 20 or more may reserve discounted tickets by calling (202) 638-2367.

History on Foot Walking Tours
Investigation: Detective McDevitt 
By Richard Hellesen; Directed by Mark Ramont
Join Detective James McDevitt as he re-visits and re-examines the sites and clues surrounding the death of our nation's 16th president. This outdoor tour lasts approximately two hours and makes at least eight stops. The distance walked is 1.5 miles from Ford's Theatre to the White House. Please wear comfortable shoes. Tours start March 21 and are offered on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. and on Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. in March, April and May. Additional tours will be held April 14 and 15 at 4:30 p.m.

Tickets to Investigation: Detective McDevitt are $15 and can be reserved through Ticketmaster at (800) 982-2787 or by visiting www.fords.org/event/history-foot-detective-james-mcdevitt. Ticketmaster fees apply. Groups of 20 or more may reserve discounted tickets by calling (202) 638-2367.

A Free Black Woman: Elizabeth Keckly
By Jennifer L. Nelson; Directed by Patrick Torres
Available for Private Tours only
Join Elizabeth Keckly, who bought her freedom after 35 years of slavery and became First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln's dressmaker and confidante. Listen as Elizabeth tells of her friendship with the Lincoln family, her work as a seamstress to Washington's elite and her dedication to helping former slaves make a new life in the nation's capital. The tour lasts 90 minutes with a distance walked of approximately 1.5 miles. Please wear comfortable shoes.

Tours of A Free Black Woman: Elizabeth Keckly are available by request and based on actor availability. There is a flat fee of $600 for a private tour for up to 40 people. To arrange a private tour, call the Group Sales office at (202) 638-2367.

Book-signing with Michael Burlingame
March 23 at 5:30 p.m.
Abraham Lincoln historian and author Michael Burlingame and acclaimed landscape photographer Robert Shaw will sign copies of their new book, Abraham Lincoln Traveled This Way-The America Lincoln Knew. For the book, Burlingame teamed up with Shaw to create a collection of captivating images and scholarly excellence that takes readers on a visual journey unique among books about Lincoln. Dr. Burlingame's writing and Shaw's images are woven together with Lincoln's own words to create an elegant and exciting exploration of Lincoln's life story.

The signing will take place in the gift shop at the new Ford's Theatre Center for Education and Leadership (514 10th St. NW). No tickets are required.

Presentation by Author Anthony Pitch
April 18 at 4:30 p.m.
Author Anthony Pitch will tell the story of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln based on his book They Have Killed Papa Dead! The program concludes with an audience question-and-answer session. Pitch will sign copies of his book in the lobby following the program.

Tickets are free but required. There is a $2.50 convenience fee to reserve in advance Tickets can be reserved through Ticketmaster at (800) 982-2787 or by visiting fords.org. Ticketmaster fees apply. Groups of 20 or more may reserve discounted tickets by calling (202) 638-2367.

DC Emancipation SCVNGR
To commemorate the historic 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's signing of the District of Columbia Compensation Act, which freed all enslaved people in D.C., Cultural Tourism DC, Ford's Theatre and President Lincoln's Cottage are releasing a scavenger hunt app through the popular smartphone game platform SCVNGR. The mobile scavenger hunt will send users on a place-specific journey through sites of D.C.'s Civil War history. Through answering trivia questions, completing challenges and sharing their discoveries with their smartphones, users will earn points as they explore what it means to be free in D.C. From the African American Civil War Memorial off U Street to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, this innovative city-wide scavenger hunt is the ideal way for participants to learn about emancipation, show off their expertise and get their feet on the streets to discover more about D.C. neighborhoods. The app will be available for download and use starting April 13 at www.CulturalTourismDc.org

Ford's Theatre Society
One of the most visited sites in the nation's capital, Ford's Theatre reopened its doors in 1968, more than a hundred years after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Operated through a partnership between Ford's Theatre Society and the National Park Service, Ford's Theatre is the premier destination in the nation's capital to explore and celebrate Abraham Lincoln's ideals and leadership principles: courage, integrity, tolerance, equality and creative expression.

The mission of Ford's Theatre Society is to celebrate the legacy of Abraham Lincoln and explore the American experience through theatre and education. For its accomplishments, the organization was honored in 2008 with the National Medal of Arts, the highest award given by the U.S. government to artists, arts institutions and arts patrons.

Since the arrival of Paul R. Tetreault as Director, critics and the theatregoing public have recognized Ford's Theatre Society for the superior quality of its artistic programming. With works from the nationally acclaimed Big River to the world premieres of Meet John Doe, The Heavens Are Hung In Black and LiberTy Smith, Ford's Theatre is making its mark on the American theatre landscape.

Through the leadership of Wayne R. Reynolds, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the mission of Ford's Theatre Society expanded to include education as a central pillar. This expansion led to the creation and construction of the Center for Education and Leadership, opening in February 2012. The new Center will bring the values and ideals of Lincoln from the past into the present, examining Lincoln's multi-faceted legacy through exhibits, workshops, seminars and speakers, as well as community outreach programs.

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

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