Ford's Theatre Gala Reopening Honors, Lucas & Poitier 2/11

Ford's Theatre Society will host a Grand Reopening Celebration on Wednesday, February 11, 2009, at Ford's Theatre (511 10th Street NW). The invitation-only evening will include the presentation of the Lincoln Medal to filmmaker George Lucas and screen legend Sidney Poitier, whose accomplishments exemplify the character and lasting legacy of President Abraham Lincoln.

The evening's performance, titled "Birth and Rebirth: A Celebration of the Lincoln Bicentennial and Reopening of Ford's Theatre," will be followed by a seated dinner at the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum (750 Ninth Street NW).

The evening's events will begin at Ford's Theatre, where invited guests will enjoy a special performance in tribute to Abraham Lincoln and his legacy, including appearances by Katie Couric, Kelsey Grammer, James Earl Jones, Ben Vereen, Jeffrey Wright, the President's Own Marine Band, Patrick Lundy and the Ministers of Music, Audra McDonald and Jessye Norman. Following the performance, guests dine at the National Portrait Gallery.

The performance will be attended by donors to the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Campaign, which supports the renovation and expansion of Ford's Theatre, as well as by political supporters of Ford's Theatre.

The Lincoln Medal is an annual award given by the Ford's Theatre Society to a person (or persons) who, through their body of work, accomplishments or personal attributes, exemplify the lasting legacy, and mettle of character embodied by the most beloved President in our Nation's history, President Abraham Lincoln. Recipients of the 2008 Lincoln Medal included Dr. Maya Angelou, Civil Rights activist, author, dancer and actress; actress Ruby Dee; Dr. Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., Director of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, The Johns Hopkins Hospital; and Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Former Associate Justice, United States Supreme Court.

Ford's Theatre Society is grateful to ExxonMobil for their additional support of the Ford's Theatre reopening and Lincoln bicentennial activities and events.

The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Campaign is a $50+ million capital campaign that will support the renovation of Ford's Theatre and its museum as well as the building of the new Center for Education and Leadership, an education center focused on the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. To date, the campaign has raised more than $49 million.

The Ford's Theatre renovation and expansion project has been made possible primarily through donations from private sources-individuals, foundations and corporations-as well as $8.9 million in federal funding and a recent $10 million grant from the District of Columbia. As the lead corporate donor, ExxonMobil has awarded the campaign a $5 million Leadership Circle grant and the State of Qatar has joined them with a $2.5 million gift. More recently, the Leadership Circle has expanded to include Ronald O. Perelman, Chairman and CEO of MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc., with a $2.5 million pledge. BP America Inc. has provided a $2 million contribution, as well as $1 million dollar donations each from AT&T, Foster Wheeler; General Dynamics, Sheila C. Johnson, Founder of Salamander Hospitality, LLC; T. Boone Pickens Foundation; The Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation/Wayne and Catherine Reynolds; David and Alice Rubenstein; The Paul Singer Family Foundation; Samsung; and Toyota.

 

The following corporations, individuals and foundations have also generously provided gifts of $500,000 or greater to this project: The Adelson Family Charitable Foundation, American Airlines, BAE Systems, Carl and Edyth Lindner, The Freed Foundation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, O'Melveny & Myers, Raytheon Company, Southern Company and Sunoco, Inc.

Since its reopening in 1968, more than a hundred years after the April 14, 1865, assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, Ford's Theatre has been one of the most visited sites in the nation's capital. Ford's Theatre has enthralled visitors because of its unique place in United States history, and its mission 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.

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 recently 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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