Ford's Theatre Performances of MY LORD, WHAT A NIGHT Begin in October

Ford's Theatre Society announced full casting and the design team for Deborah Brevoort's My Lord, What a Night, October 1-24, 2021. Directed by Ford's Theatre Senior Artistic Advisor Sheldon Epps, the remarkable new drama is based on true events and the friendship between contralto Marian Anderson and physicist Albert Einstein.

The production features Ford's Theatre Associate Artist Felicia Curry (Jefferson's Garden, Ragtime, A Christmas Carol, others) as Anderson and Christopher Bloch (Twelve Angry Men, Jefferson's Garden, 1776, others) as Einstein, with Michael Russotto as the head of the Institute of Advanced Study in Princeton, NJ, Abraham Flexner, and Franchelle Stewart Dorn as civil rights activist and suffragist Mary Church Terrell.

Tickets for in-person performances of My Lord, What a Night are now on sale and range from $18 to $48. Discounts are available for groups, senior citizens, military personnel and those younger than age 35. The production is recommended for ages 12 and older. An on-demand, streaming version of My Lord, What a Night will be available for sale to the public beginning the week of October 11 through November 4.

"To have this play performed in the shadow of Lincoln on our historic stage, at this extraordinary time in history is thrilling," said Ford's Theatre Director Paul R. Tetreault. "It may be hard to imagine that one of the most celebrated singers of the 20th century and the German-Jewish genius who developed the theory of relativity would have much in common at all. This story will be a revelation to many-exploring how a mutual love of the arts and parallel experiences with prejudice and persecution began a lasting and important friendship."

"When I started to write this play five years ago, I kept thinking that Ford's Theatre was where it belongs; and here we are! I am really touched by the Ford's artistic team's commitment to this play and our development of it. The work is being cradled with support and a dream team," said playwright Deborah Brevoort.

About My Lord, What a Night

After performing in Princeton, New Jersey, acclaimed contralto Marian Anderson is denied lodging at the Nassau Inn because she is Black. Physicist Albert Einstein invites her to stay at his home, and the two form a profound friendship based on their love for music and their commitment to human rights. Based on true events, My Lord, What a Night takes us into Einstein's home and imagines the conversations and circumstances that led to Anderson's historic concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

The play was initially commissioned by Premiere Stages in partnership with the Liberty Hall Museum which, through the Liberty Live Program, has a commission directive for playwrights' intent on telling little-known stories about New Jersey.

"In My Lord, What a Night, we meet Marian Anderson and Albert Einstein as humans, not icons, dealing with personal and professional issues born out of pivotal moments that evolve under the pressure of racial and religious prejudice over several years," said director and Ford's Theatre Senior Artistic Advisor Sheldon Epps.

Epps continued, "There are genuine theatrical fireworks to be had from watching one of the most famous African-American entertainers of her day and the great Jewish scientist and philosopher grappling with shared issues of identity, discrimination, and how to balance their personal wishes with the public face society demands of them. It is my hope that this valuable theatrical encounter will be both challenging and uplifting for our audiences."

The Designers

Scenic Designer Meghan Raham (Ford's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) brings us into Albert Einstein's Princeton study, filled with books that seem to expand above and below the room-representing how Einstein and Anderson thoughtfully move toward changing the world through the course of the play. Costume Designer Karen Perry (Broadway's Lackawanna Blues) dresses Marian Anderson and Mary Church Terrell in luxe and classy satins with lace details and furs, and eclectic yet stylish suiting for the men of the play. The Ford's Theatre design team for My Lord, What a Night also includes Lighting Designer Max Doolittle, Sound Designer John Gromada (Ford's Necessary Sacrifices Radio Play, A Christmas Carol Radio Play, others), Hair and Make-Up Designer Danna Rosedahl (Ford's Fences) and Projection Designer Clint Allen (Ford's Into the Woods, The Wiz, others).

The production team also includes Production Stage Manager Brandon Prendergast and Assistant Stage Manager Julia Singer.

Accessibility and Special Performances

Audio-described performances of My Lord, What a Night are October 12 at 7:30 p.m. and October 23 at 2:00 p.m. A sign-interpreted performance is October 21 at 7:30 p.m. Accessible seating is available in both the rear orchestra and balcony sections.

Beginning October 1, 2021, all performances of My Lord, What a Night will be captioned via the GalaPro App. GalaPro is available from the App Store or Google Play and allows patrons to access captioning on demand through their phone or tablet device. Patrons set their phones to airplane mode and connect to the local GalaPro Wifi network before the performance begins. More information at https://www.fords.org/visit/accessibility/galapro-captioning

Student matinees for My Lord, What a Night are October 14 and 21 at 11 a.m. Learn more on the Ford's Theatre website.

Free First Preview: October 1, 2021, at 7:30 p.m.
Ford's Theatre Partners with TodayTix to give out free tickets for the first performance of each mainstage production in our theatrical season. Tickets are available via the TodayTix app, beginning 10:00 a.m. ET on September 24 for the October 1, 7:30 p.m. performance of My Lord, What a Night. Visit www.fords.org/free for lottery entry details.

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