Ford's Theatre Announces Programming Cancelations In Response To The COVID-19 Pandemic

Out of an abundance of caution and to follow DC Health's recommendations, Ford's Theatre Society is altering its programming schedule through April 4. Ford's Theatre Society is staying abreast of the evolving situation related to the novel coronavirus COVID-19 and following advice from the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The latest Ford's Theatre updates will be posted on www.fords.org and main box office phoneline (202) 638-2941.

The March 13 Free Preview of Guys and Dolls is canceled, as are all performances of the musical March 16-April 4. The Saturday, March 14, 7:30 p.m. performance of Guys and Dolls will continue to a limited audience. This will enable the company to get the show up and running, so that performances can resume in April. Patrons with tickets to this performance who are concerned about being in public can receive an exchange or refund by visiting the Ford's Theatre website. Media scheduled to attend the press performance on March 24 will be contacted by the Ford's Theatre press office to reschedule into later dates.

The Society's History on Foot walking tours scheduled for March 25-April 4 have been canceled. The Abraham Lincoln Institute's full-day Symposium (free), scheduled for March 21, has been canceled. The Society's March 15 and 29 5:00 p.m. Guided Tours of Ford's Theatre have been canceled.

Patrons with tickets to canceled events should visit the Ford's Theatre website to see their options for donating, exchanging or receiving a refund for their tickets.

The Ford's Theatre campus (Museum, Theatre, Petersen House and Aftermath Exhibits) will remain open for daytime visitation while we await further direction from the National Park Service.

"Ford's Theatre Society and the National Park Service are committed to the health and safety of everyone who visits Ford's Theatre. This situation remains dynamic, with preparation being critical every day. We continue to evaluate our programming schedule and prioritize the health of our audience, artists, staff and volunteers. We encourage all patrons to follow hygiene practices and practice social distancing as recommended by the CDC," said Ford's Theatre director Paul R. Tetreault.

Guys and Dolls

Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser, Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows

Based on a story and characters of Damon Runyon

Choreographed by Dell Howlett; Directed by Peter Flynn

Performances canceled: March 13, 16 through April 4

Performances resume: April 6 to May 20, 2020

In this beloved 1950s musical comedy, dice-slinging gamblers, pious missionaries and glamorous showgirls come together for a light-hearted romp through New York. It's a high stakes game of love as brash but charming Nathan Detroit bets Sky Masterson $1,000 to woo missionary Sarah Brown. Meanwhile, cabaret singer Adelaide tries to convince Nathan, her fiancé of 14 years, to finally tie the knot. Peter Flynn (Into the Woods, Ragtime) returns to direct this classic, featuring the showstoppers "Luck be a Lady," "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat," "Take Back Your Mink" and more.

Ford's Theatre Society and National Park Service Partnership

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 life and legacy.

Ford's Theatre Society was founded under the guidance of executive producer Frankie Hewitt, who, during her 35-year tenure, established Ford's as a living, Working Theatre producing performances that highlighted the diversity of the American experience. Since the arrival of Paul R. Tetreault as Director, critics and the theatregoing public have recognized Ford's for the superior quality of its artistic programming. With works from the Tony-nominated Come From Away and the nationally acclaimed Big River, to the world premieres of Meet John Doe, The Heavens Are Hung In Black, Liberty Smith, Necessary Sacrifices, The Widow Lincoln and The Guard, Ford's Theatre is making its mark on the American theatre landscape. In the past decade, 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, which opened in February 2012. Under the current leadership of Board of Trustees Chairman Phebe Novakovic and through the lens of Lincoln's leadership and legacy, Ford's today endeavors to advance Lincoln's "unfinished work" with programs and performances that cultivate empathy, encourage dialogue and bridge divides in our American life. In 2018, the Society was awarded a Platinum rating in GuideStar and a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator.

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

For more information on the Ford's Theatre National Historic Site, please visit www.nps.gov/foth

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