In his fourth commission for Ford’s Theatre, playwright Richard Hellesen explores the two documented encounters between Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln during a period of national crisis. As Lincoln searches for a way to end slavery in the summers of 1863 and 1864, Douglass’s rhetoric and conviction challenges the president to envision a post-emancipation world. Together, the men imagine not only a unified nation but a society that brings truth to the Declaration of Independence assertion that “all men are created equal.” Hellesen’s previous works for Ford’s Theatre include One Destiny, Investigation: Detective McDevitt and The Road from Appomattox, three gripping and insightful explorations of critical moments in Civil War history. The world premiere of this work will coincide with the opening of the Center for Education and Leadership, which will include new galleries exploring the immediate aftermath of Lincoln’s assassination and the evolution of his legacy.
Videos
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INSeries presents: Poppea
IN Series (3/14 - 3/29) | |
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Sister Act
Ford's Theatre (3/14 - 5/17) | |
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Season 18: CONSTELLATIONS and HEAD OVER HEELS
Constellation Theatre Company (2/6 - 6/1) | |
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Chicken & Biscuits
NextStop Theatre (3/13 - 4/6) | |
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Your Name Means Dream
Theater J (3/12 - 4/6) | |
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Kunene and the King
Klein Theatre - Shakespeare Theatre Company (2/16 - 3/16) | |
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Blame It On Beckett
The Writers Center (3/14 - 3/30) | |
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The Dumb Waiter
DC Arts Center (3/7 - 3/23) | |
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Je''Caryous Johnson Presents: Jason''s Lyric Live!
The National Theatre (3/27 - 5/4) | |
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Parade
Kennedy Center [Opera House] (8/19 - 9/7) | |
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A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride
Concert Hall at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (5/21 - 5/22) | |
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Chloé Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies LIVE
Hylton Performing Arts Center (3/22 - 3/22) | |
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12 Angry Jurors
Wind RIver Theater at the ARTfactory (5/1 - 5/4) | |
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