A Christmas Carol Digital Program

Ford’s Theatre explores the legacy of President Abraham Lincoln and celebrates the American experience through theatre and education. A working theatre, historical monument, culturally-significant museum and learning center, Ford’s Theatre is the premier destination in Washington, D.C. to explore and celebrate Lincoln’s ideals and leadership principles. 

Ford’s Theatre History 

In 1861, theatre manager John T. Ford leased out the abandoned First Baptist Church on Tenth Street to create Ford’s Theatre. Over the next few years, the venue became a popular stage for theatrical and musical productions. On April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln visited Ford’s for a performance of Our American Cousin. At this performance, Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer and white supremacist. Lincoln died the next morning in the Petersen House, a boarding house located across the street. Ford’s Theatre remained dark for more than 100 years, officially reopening in 1968 as a national historic site and working theatre. It is operated through a public-private partnership between the National Park Service and Ford’s Theatre Society. 

Ford’s Theatre Today 

Through its inspiring theatrical productions, live historic interpretation and engaging education programs, Ford’s Theatre offers visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in America’s past while revealing meaningful connections to today. 

As a working theatre, Ford’s produces renowned plays, vibrant musicals and newly commissioned works that captivate and entertain while examining political and social issues related to Lincoln’s legacy. 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, The Guard, Grace, Something Moving: A Meditation on Maynard and The American Five, Ford’s Theatre is making its mark on the American theatre landscape. With the opening of the Aftermath Exhibits at the Center for Education and Leadership, Ford’s Theatre has become a major center for learning, where people of all ages can examine Lincoln’s multi-faceted legacy through exhibits, workshops and educational programs. 

For more information about Ford’s Theatre and Ford’s Theatre Society, please visit www.fords.org. 

We are glad that you are joining us at Ford’s Theatre today. This is a welcoming and interactive community. Whether you are here to visit our historic site or to see a show, we invite you to be your authentic self.

At Ford’s Theatre:

• We are allowed to be human, in all the ways that make us unique.
• We are allowed to be human together. We encourage you to find moments of respectful connection and engagement with other members of the community.
• We are on common ground. We are all here to enjoy a shared experience and though our reactions and responses may vary, we will remain respectful.
• We are creating a live theatrical experience together; audible reactions and responses are welcome. The actors need you to engage with what you see but not to distract them from their performances.
• We also welcome the use of personal communication devices if they help you to better experience the show, but we encourage you to respect the actors’ work and the other audience members around you. Please note that the taking of photographs, video or sound recordings of the performance is not permitted.

Let’s create something beautiful together.

By José Carrasquillo, Director of Artistic Programming

Back in 1843, close associates of Charles Dickens were aghast at his intent on exposing the deplorable conditions of child labor and wage disparity with what was originally a written pamphlet titled An Appeal to the People of England on behalf of the Poor Man’s Child. The dismissal by the literary establishment of the essay as a ‘diatribe’ did not deter Dickens from expanding what he saw as a social calamity into a novella with a redemptive theme.

The original essay contained stories of real children and their families. Side-by-side, Dickens decided on creating a literary character for the ages: a stingy, money worshipping miser who not only rejects Christmas and any holiday related cheer, but one espousing the policies hurting the poorest of citizens.

Dickens’s deliberate stave-like structure defines both the story and Scrooge’s inner journey while warping the concept of time in a story with supernatural elements.

When Scrooge bellows that Christmas is a ‘humbug,’ Dickens gives his creation a baseline: a man who not only rejects Christmas time as a special, happy holiday, but one who adamantly opposes the notion that Christmas is a time for giving and helping those in need thus underscoring his total lack of compassion. His stinginess and cruel behavior are in full display during his interactions with everyday citizens to include Bob Cratchit, Fred—his nephew, merchants, carolers, beggars and solicitors collecting donations for the poor.

To arrive at redemption, Dickens needed to show Scrooge the error of his ways. He does this by incorporating a ghost motif. Jacob Marley, his deceased business partner, pays Scrooge a visit. The apparition finds Marley roaming the afterlife chained in a constant state of purgatory. He warns Scrooge of a similar fate if Scrooge chooses not to change while there’s still time. Marley also warns Scrooge of spirits to come.

It’s during the ensuing visitations that Scrooge begins to see the ramifications of his abhorrent avarice. The Ghost of Christmas Past allows Scrooge to see his own transformation from a boy and promising young man to the money obsessed miser he becomes. A wrenching passage makes him confront how his love of money above all else erodes his love relationship with Belle, his fiancé. The Ghost of Christmas Present quotes Scrooge’s beliefs—poor people dying will help decrease the surplus population; jails and workhouses are the places for those in need. Upon hearing his own words quoted back to him, Scrooge shows a measure of remorse. The Ghost of Christmas Future gives Scrooge a glimpse of the fate that awaits him.

He also witnesses the tragedy of Tiny Tim and his family. Upon seeing his own grave, Scrooge finally arrives at a moment where he chooses to redeem himself: he is not the man he was before his interaction with the spirits. He longs to go back and right the wrongs that he has caused. With the last spirit gone, Scrooge awakes on Christmas day a transformed man. He’s kind, generous, compassionate and full of Christmas cheer! Scrooge changes his life trajectory thus becoming a stalwart and dedicated citizen to his community.

Scrooge himself alludes to his transformation when addressing Bob Cratchit during the final stave: “Yes, it is a mystery, Bob, but what a wonderful mystery it is!”

Performances of A Christmas Carol are made possible by generous corporate support from:

Lead Sponsor

HII is proud to sponsor Ford’s Theatre and its mission to celebrate the American experience through theatre and education. Headquartered in Virginia, HII delivers the world’s most powerful ships and all-domain solutions in service of the nation, creating the advantage for our customers to protect peace and freedom around the world. The 7,000 professionals in our Mission Technologies division develop integrated solutions that enable today’s connected, all-domain force—everything from cyber to synthetic training to unmanned systems.

Andy Green

Executive Vice President, HII and President, HII Mission Technologies

Sponsor

The Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer with a total of 2,361 retail stores and over 1,280 SRS locations across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico. The Company employs over 470,000 associates. The Home Depot and The Home Depot Foundation are proud to support the work of Ford’s Theatre and in partnership with VetTix.org, to ensure active-duty Military, Veterans and their families are able to enjoy the productions.

Ted Decker

Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer

Sponsor

The National Retail Federation is proud to partner with Ford’s Theatre and join its celebration of the American experience through theatre and education. NRF advocates for the retail industry, the nation’s largest private-sector employer, which contributes $5.3 trillion to annual GDP and supports more than one in four U.S. jobs—55 million working Americans. NRF empowers the industry that powers our economy.

Matthew Shay

President and Chief Executive Officer

Season Sponsor

Chevron is a proud sponsor of Ford’s Theatre. As one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies, Chevron’s success is driven by our people and their commitment to delivering industry-leading results and superior stockholder value in any business environment. We do this by operating responsibly, applying advanced technologies, capturing new high-return opportunities, and executing with excellence in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. More information about Chevron is available at www.chevron.com.

Michael K. Wirth

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Season Sponsor

At Intuit, we are driven by our mission of powering prosperity around the world and believe everyone deserves the opportunity to prosper. This includes investing in our communities and supporting programs, such as today’s performance that help bring people together, spark creativity, and promote collaboration. We are proud to support Ford’s Theatre as a season sponsor.

Tyler Cozzens

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Season Sponsor

At Lockheed Martin, we lead in aerospace and defense technology—pushing innovation and scientific discovery to deliver solutions that keep the U.S. and its allies safe. Whether through transformative technologies or meaningful community partnerships, like the one we have had with Ford’s Theatre for many years, we are committed to making a difference in our communities and to supporting our important national institutions.

James D. Taiclet

Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Official Airline Sponsor

At United, we know that being the world’s biggest airline doesn’t mean much if it’s not an airline that works for you – whether you’re a million miler or a first-time flier. That’s why we’ve made sure to offer more flights to more of the places you want to fly at the times that work with your schedule, so you can make the matinee…or the evening show. Learn more at united.com.

Scott Kirby

Chief Executive Officer

Michael Wilson 
Adapter
Is the co-book writer of Chris Curtis’s new musical HUMBUG which Wilson is also directing. The workshop production of this prequel story to A CHRISTMAS CAROL premieres this December at Utah’s Noorda Center for the Performing Arts. Wilson’s adaptation of A CHRISTMAS CAROL has been produced by Ford’s for 23 uninterrupted years, including the 2020 premiere broadcast of its audio version produced in collaboration with WAMU 88.5. Wilson is overseeing the adaptation’s 26th holiday season at Hartford Stage, where he was Artistic Director from 1998 to 2011. Concord Theatricals/DPS licenses the script which premiered in 1990 and ran for 24 seasons at Houston’s Alley Theatre. Other regional productions include Repertory Theatre of St Louis, Vermont’s Northern Stage Co and Jackson, Mississippi’s New Stage Theatre. In 2026, high schools in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, North Carolina — and the Pymble Players in Australia — are staging new productions.

Michael Baron
Original Director
Ford’s: The Civil War (Associate Director); Regional: Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma: Sweeney Todd, Annie, King of Pangea, ASL-Spoken English Cinderella (co-director with Brian Cheslik), Carousel, Master Class, Frost/Nixon, Titanic, Bright Star, Fun Home, Assassins, Fiddler on the Roof, Dreamgirls, Big Fish, Oklahoma!, A Little Night Music, Les Miserables, Spring Awakening, Ragtime, Oliver!; Olney: ASL-Spoken English The Music Man (co-director with Sandra Mae Frank); Adventure: James and the Giant Peach; Signature: The Little Dog Laughed. Training: MFA, Trinity Repertory; BA, Wake Forest. Awards: Two-time Helen Hayes award winner and Oklahoma Governor’s Arts Award. Currently the Producing Artistic Director of Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma-The Official State Theatre of Oklahoma.

José Carrasquillo 
Director
Ford’s: Mister Lincoln, A Christmas Carol (2021). DC area: 1^st Stage: Mlima’s Tale, The Brothers Size (Helen Hayes Award, Directing); Mosaic: In His Hands; Forum: Nat Turner in Jerusalem; Theater J: Soto Voce; The Body of an American, After the Fall; GALA: Don Juan Tenorio, El Paso Blue, La Señorita de Tacna; Kennedy Center: Perdita, The Magic Rainforest; Woolly Mammoth: The Obituary Bowl; Avant Bard: Happy Days, The Maids (Mary Goldwater Lobby Award, Directing); Signature: Donna Q; Studio: A Language of Their Own, Clean; Olney: Sueño; Other: Tantrum Theatre: Rhinoceros; Forum for Cultural Engagement: Flash Acts: Untranslatable. Training: Indiana University, American University, Studio Acting Conservatory. 

Shea Sullivan
Choreographer
Shea Sullivan is a NYC-based director/choreographer. Currently Holiday Inn (Bucks County Playhouse), Recently: Bucks County Playhouse: Rock of Ages (also The REV), Leader of the Pack, Last of the Red Hot Mamas. Paper Mill Playhouse: Frozen. Off-Broadway: R.R.R.E.D, Neurosis (Chita Rivera Award Nom.), Polkadots–The Cool Kids Musical (Off-Broadway Alliance Award), Pageant! (SDC’s Callaway Finalist, Drama Desk Nom., Best Revival), I’ll Say She Is, Once Upon a Mattress, Pete(HER) Pan. Her work has been represented regionally from coast to coast. Shea is thrilled to be back once again at Fords with this gorgeous show. HAPPY HOLIDAYS! @thesheasullivan

Lee Savage 
Scenic Designer
Ford’s: A Christmas Carol. NYC: Second Stage, Labyrinth, Primary Stages, LCT3, Roundabout, Atlantic, Clubbed Thumb, Mabou Mines. Regional: Alliance, Asolo, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Baltimore Centerstage, Chautauqua, Cleveland Playhouse, Dallas Theater Center, Glimmerglass Festival, Goodman, Guthrie, Long Wharf, Milwaukee Rep, Old Globe, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Trinity Rep, Two River, Westport Country Playhouse, Washington National Opera, Wilma and Yale Rep among others. Awards: Helen Hayes, and Connecticut Critics Circle. Member of Wingspace Theatrical Design. B.F.A., RISD; M.F.A., Yale School of Drama. Head of Scenic Design, Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.

Alejo Vietti 
Costume Designer
Ford’s: Little Shop or Horrors, SHOUT SISTER SHOUT!, A Christmas Carol, Meet John Doe. Broadway: A Few Good Men, Titanique (Lucille Lortel Award, also West End, Paris, Australia and Canada), Smash, Allegiance (Drama Desk Nom.), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (London Olivier nom., Japan, Australia, U.S. tour), Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn. Off-Broadway: Titanique (Lucille Lortel Award). Works for Roundabout Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Second Stage, Atlantic Theatre, Radio City Rockettes, NYC Opera, among others. International; Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame (Japan, Germany and Austria), West Side Story World tour. Recipient of two Helen Hayes Awards. @alejo_vietti_costume_design

Rui Rita
Lighting Designer
Ford’s: The Trip to Bountiful, The Wiz, Ragtime, A Christmas Carol, Silent Sky, The Laramie Project, Fly, Meet John Doe, Trying. Broadway: Skeleton Crew, Trip To Bountiful, Velocity of Autumn, Present Laughter, Dividing the Estate, Old Acquaintance, Enchanted April, The Price, A Thousand Clowns. Off-Broadway: New World Stages: Sherlock Carol, Second Stage: Happiest Song Plays Last; Roundabout: Talley’s Folly, Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore; Signature-NY: Paradise Blue, Piano Lesson, Horton Foote’s The Orphans’ Home Cycle; TFANA: Engaged (Obie Award); Manhattan Theatre Club: Nightingale, Moonlight and Magnolias; Lincoln Center: The Carpetbagger’s Children, Far East.

Josh Schmidt 
Composer and Sound Designer
Ford’s: A Christmas Carol, The Grapes of Wrath. Broadway: Therese Raquin (Roundabout/Studio 54), House of Blue Leaves. Selected Off-Broadway: Adding Machine (Minetta Lane), 3 Kinds of Exile (Atlantic), Water By the Spoonful (Second Stage), A Minister’s Wife (Lincoln Center), Whida Peru (59E59). Regional: Signature: Midwestern Gothic. Selected Chicago: A Minister’s Wife (Writers Theatre); Sweet Bird of Youth (Goodman); Bug, The March, Time Stands Still, Detroit, The Tempest (Steppenwolf). Regional work includes American Players Theatre (21st Season), Alley Theatre, Kennedy Center, Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Film: The End (Neon/Final Cut For Real) Commission: Fallingwater (Met Opera). www.fortytwofootforward.com

Charles G. LaPointe 
Wig Designer
Charles G. LaPointe is an award-winning designer who maintains a highly successful career on stages throughout the United States and abroad. Numerous Broadway, touring, regional, West End and international productions including: West End; International productions including: Hamilton (Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylist Guild Award); MJ; Ain’t Too Proud; Beetlejuice; The Cher Show (Drama Desk Award); SpongeBob SquarePants (Drama Desk Award); Jersey Boys. Television: The Wiz Live! (Emmy Award nom.); Jesus Christ Superstar Live! (Emmy Award Nomination/Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylist Guild Award).

Jay Crowder 
Choral Director
Ford’s: 110 in the Shade (Helen Hayes nom.), Violet (Helen Hayes nom.), 1776, Liberty Smith (HH nom.), A Christmas Carol, Civil War (Helen Hayes nom.). Regional: Signature: Urinetown (2006 HH Award), Hedwig and the Angry Inch, A Christmas Carol Rag, Side Show (Helen Hayes nom.). D.C.-Area: Studio: A New Brain; Metro Stage: Starting Here, Starting Now; Olney: Annie; Imagination: Twice Upon a Time: Atlas: Goodnight Moon. Kennedy Center: Assc. Music Director: Mame, Company, Passion. Music Director of Musical Theater and Television at the John F. Kennedy Center. 

Rachel Hirshorn-Johnston 
Dialects and Voice Director Assoc. Professor of Voice & Speech and Head of Acting & Directing at Texas Tech, Assoc. Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework®. Rachel coaches regionally in professional theatre, with private clients (corporate, government) on presentation skills and dialect modification, performs regularly around the country and internationally, and is an active member of VASTA, PAVA, and AEA. Training: MFA, Acting and Directing, UMKC; BFA, Acting, UMBC. rachelhjohnston.com

Craig A. Horness 
Production Stage Manager/ Associate Director 
Ford’s: Sister Act, Little Shop of Horrors (2024); Grace; Into the Woods; The Wiz; Ragtime; 110 In The Shade; Freedom’s Song; Hello, Dolly!; 1776 (2012 & 2026); Liberty Smith; Little Shop of Horrors (2010); A Christmas Carol (2004-2019, 2021-2024); The Civil War; One Destiny; Meet John Doe; Leading Ladies; State of the Union; Big River; The Member of the Wedding. Other: Broadway Sacramento/Music Circus, Center Stage, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Opera, New York City Opera, North Shore Music Theatre, Opera/Omaha, Portland Opera, Theatre Under the Stars. 

Erika Scott 
Associate Director 
Ford’s: Artistic Programming Manager. Recent credits: Assistant Director: Ford’s: The Trip to Bountiful, A Christmas Carol; Mosaic Theater: In His Hands; First Stage: Brothers Size. Acting Credits: Anacostia Arts Center: Lady in Brown in For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf. 

Brandon Prendergast 
Production Stage Manager
Ford’s: More than 30 productions including Come From Away, The American Five, Mister Lincoln, Silent Sky, Twelve Angry Men, Come From Away, Fly. New York: The Green Bird (Julie Taymor), Les Enfants Terribles (Susan Marshall), Yemayá (Twyla Tharp). Regional: Kennedy Center: 20 productions including Side Show, Follies, Ragtime, Mame; Shakespeare: 23 productions. Signature: Spunk, Girlfriend, La Cage aux Folles. International: Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical in Bahrain. Instructor: University of Mary Washington. Training: Mary Washington College.

Taryn Friend 
Assistant Stage Manager
Ford’s: 1776 (2012, 2026), Sister Act, Little Shop of Horrors; SHOUT SISTER SHOUT!; Grace; Guys and Dolls; Into the Woods; The Wiz; Ragtime; 110 In The Shade; Freedom’s Song; Spelling Bee; Hello, Dolly!; 1776; Liberty Smith; One Destiny; A Christmas Carol. Arena: Oklahoma! Signature: Merrily We Roll Along, Soft Power; Ragtime, The Bridges of Madison County, The Color Purple; Assassins, Passion,; A Little Night Music, Jelly’s Last Jam, Sunday in the Park, Miss Saigon, Spin, Hairspray, The Visit, Kiss of the Spider Woman. Kennedy Center: 50th Anniversary Concert; Unleashed!; Bud, Not Buddy. 

Julia Singer
Assistant Stage Manager
Ford’s: Come From Away, The American Five, Mister Lincoln, Something Moving, Trip to Bountiful, My Lord, What a Night, Silent Sky, Fences, Twelve Angry Men, Born Yesterday, Jefferson’s Garden, Death of a Salesman, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, A Christmas Carol, Freedom’s Song, Driving Miss Daisy. Regional: Signature: Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Hair, Ragtime, Into the Woods, She Loves Me. D.C.-Area: Kennedy Center: The Other Children of the Sun, The Mortification of Fovea Munson, Acoustic Rooster’s Barnyard Boogie: Starring Indigo Blume, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Me…Jane, Elephant and Piggie’s: We are in a Play! Folger: Love’s Labour’s Lost, The Winter’s Tale. 

Kristin Fox-Siegmund 
Deputy Director and Director of Programming 
Since joining Ford’s in 2006, Fox-Siegmund has overseen the creation of the Frances and Craig Lindner Center for Culture and Leadership, the Center for Education and Leadership and the renovation of the historic theatre and museum, as well as the world premiere productions of The American Five, The Guard, The Widow Lincoln, Necessary Sacrifices, Liberty Smith, Meet John Doe and The Heavens Are Hung In Black. Prior to Ford’s, she spent 11 years at the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas. Her tenure as Production Manager included premieres of Horton Foote’s The Carpetbagger’s Children, Ken Ludwig’s Be My Baby, Leading Ladies, Edward Albee’s The Play About the Baby and The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?, as well as Michael Wilson’s production of A Christmas Carol. She oversaw the design and relocation of the theatre’s new production facilities in 2002 and the renovation of its Neuhaus Stage after the destruction of Tropical Storm Allison in 2001. Other work includes Santa Fe Opera and Houston Grand Opera. 

Paul R. Tetreault 
Director 
Paul R. Tetreault has served as Director of Ford’s Theatre Society since 2004, leading the historic Washington, D.C., institution through more than two decades of artistic growth, educational innovation and institutional expansion.

Under his leadership, Ford’s has produced 10 world premieres—including The Guard, The Heavens Are Hung in Black,
Necessary Sacrifices, The Widow Lincoln, The American Five—and presented the East Coast premiere of Come From Away prior to its Broadway success and Tony Award recognition. He has also championed the Ford’s Theatre Legacy Commissions and A First Look, developing new works that illuminate lesser-known stories and pivotal moments in the American experience.

Tetreault has overseen major milestones in Ford’s institutional history: including the 2009 reopening of the renovated theatre and museum, the 2012 opening of the Center for Education and Leadership and 2025 opening of the Frances and Craig Lindner Center for Culture and Leadership, which expands Ford’s capacity for education, artistic development, rehearsal, conversation and civic engagement across its campus.

His leadership has also helped advance Ford’s mission to explore President Abraham Lincoln’s legacy and its continuing relevance to American life. Through theatre, education, public programming and historical interpretation, Ford’s seeks to cultivate empathy, encourage dialogue and connect audiences with the ongoing American story.

Ford’s Theatre received the National Medal of Arts in 2008, the nation’s highest honor for artistic institutions and artists.

Before joining Ford’s, Tetreault served for 10 years as Managing Director of Houston’s Alley Theatre, where he produced more than 100 productions and worked with artists including Edward Albee, Tony Kushner, Trevor Nunn, Nicky Silver, Frank Wildhorn and August Wilson. Earlier in his career, he held senior management positions with Crossroads Theatre Company in New Jersey, Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California and Circle Repertory Company in New York. He also served as Director of Finance at Madison Square Garden and as a vice president with C.W. Shaver and Company, a New York management and fundraising consulting firm.

Tetreault has served as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts and as a guest lecturer at Yale University, Columbia University, New York University, Brooklyn College, the University of Houston and Rice University. He is a graduate of Emerson College and received his MFA from Brooklyn College, City University of New York. He has also held leadership roles with arts and civic organizations, including the Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District.

Special Effects Costume by Bob Flanagan 

Custom Jewelry by Larry Vrba 

Scenery Built by Ravenswood Studio, Inc. 

Flying Effects provided by D2 Flying Effects 

Props Built by Bella Faccia, Art Drauglis 

First Chair Interpreted Productions LLC is Ford’s Theatre Society’s preferred interpreting provider 

The actors and stage managers employed in this production are members of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

United Scenic Artists represents the designers and scenic painters for the American Theatre. 

The technicians at Ford’s Theatre are represented by Locals 22, 772 and 798, IATSE, AFL-CIO, the professional union of theatrical technicians. 

The director and choeographer are members of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, an independent national labor union. 

Ford’s Education—Serving Teachers Across the Nation

Ford’s Education provides dynamic learning experiences for educators. Our programs are robust, thought-provoking and hands-on, so that teachers can translate what is learned at Ford’s, into tools for the classroom.

• Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation Civil War Washington, July 11–16, 2027:
  In this institute, connect with peers to illuminate new perspectives and under-told stories, explore historic sites and collect a wealth of resources. Gain tools to help students grapple with histories whose legacies matter today.
• National Oratory Fellows, July 19–23, 2027:
  Ford’s National Oratory Fellowship is a transformative program that empowers teachers to cultivate critical thinkers, equipping students with tools to navigate both the classroom and the broader world. This arts-integrated program incorporates theatre techniques, encourages civic discourse, promotes open classroom communication and supports student facilitated discussions, debates and presentations.
• Set In Stone: Civil War Memory, Monuments and Myths, July 25–30, 2027:
  Our monument landscape is changing. Examine how people have sculpted the narrative of United States history through monuments and memorials in our nation’s capital.

Visit the Teacher Professional Development page on www.fords.org or email us at education@fords.org for information on any of our offerings.

Public Programs

Ford’s Theatre offers expansive public programs designed for the historically curious. Our events provide rich opportunities for learning, connecting you to the history of our iconic site and offering deeper insights into our onstage productions. We delve into the intersection of theatre arts, history and civics, fostering a dynamic environment for public discourse.

From Quill to Curtain: Crafting Plays Inspired by History
Saturday, January 9, 16 and 30, 2027 at 10 a.m.
Explore the craft of playwriting through the lens of historical figures and events. Over the course of the three sessions, writers will work to develop their stories and identify how to connect the dots of time, place, history and circumstances that drive the narrative and the world of their plays. The workshop is under the direction of Helen Hayes Award winner, Chess Jakobs.

History Talks: Edwin Booth and the Burden of Memory
Thursday, January 21, 2027 at 7p.m., Online
After his brother assassinated Abraham Lincoln, Edwin Booth faced a question few Americans could imagine: how do you live with a name the nation has come to hate? Drawing on emerging scholarship, historian Elizabeth Reese explores how the celebrated actor navigated public suspicion and private grief, transforming personal tragedy into a performance of redemption and national healing.

Written Then, Spoken Now: COMBEE
February 6, 2027 at 7 p.m.
In this chapter of Written Then, Spoken Now, Ford’s Theatre will be in conversation with Dr. Edda Fields-Black, and dramaturg Faedra C. Carpenter. Blended with their conversation, we will feature excerpts from the Pulitzer Prize-winning book COMBEE: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom During the Civil War, historical letters and newspapers read aloud by actors. The program will be followed by a book signing.

For more information, visit the Public Programs page on www.fords.org.

Ford’s Theatre education and public programs are supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, BP America, D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, The Hearst Foundations, National Park Service, Phillips 66, PwC, Southern Company, United Airlines and Visa Inc. with additional support from Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, Dr. Scholl Foundation, Nancy Peery Marriott Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Ford’s Theatre Board of Trustees

Abraham Lincoln National Council

Ford’s Theatre Board of Governors

Ford’s Theatre Donors

Ford’s Theatre Advisory Council

Ford’s Theatre Associated Artists

The Lincoln Medal

Ford’s Theatre Staff

Historic Site Visits

A visit to Ford’s Theatre traces the story of Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, assassination and legacy. Whether for a brief visit or for the full experience, Ford’s will deepen your appreciation and understanding of America’s 16th president. Admission is free; advance tickets have a convenience fee. The Ford’s Theatre campus traditionally includes: 

• Museum: Learn about Lincoln’s presidency from his inauguration to his arrival at Ford’s Theatre the night of April 14, 1865. See artifacts related to his presidency and assassination.
• Theatre: See the recreated historic theatre and learn the key facts of the assassination from National Park Service Rangers.
• Petersen House: Explore Lincoln’s final moments in the house where Lincoln died.
• Center for Education and Leadership: See the Aftermath Exhibits exploring what happened following Lincoln’s assassination, the hunt for John Wilkes Booth and the lasting impact of Lincoln’s legacy.

Our visitation schedule varies. Parts of the campus may not be available at the time of your visit.

Box Office Hours

• When there is an evening performance: 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• When there is no evening performance: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• When there is a History on Foot walking tour: 8:30 a.m. until the tour begins.

Groups

Groups (10 or more people) save on mainstage performance tickets, have priority access to the best seats in the house and have flexible payment options. Contact groups@fords.org or (202) 638-2367.

Accessible seating is offered in both the rear orchestra and the balcony sections.

GalaPro closed captioning will be available for all performances starting Thursday, November 19. 2026. Search for GalaPro on the Google Play or Apple Store and download the app.

An audio-enhancement system is available for all performances. Devices are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please check with an usher. 

Audio-described performances of A Christmas Carol are scheduled for Thursday, December 3, 2026 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, December 12, 2026 at 2 p.m.

 

Sign-interpreted performances of A Christmas Carol are scheduled for Thursday, December 3, 2026 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, December 12, 2026 at 2 p.m.

 

A sensory-friendly performance of A Christmas Carol is scheduled for Sunday, November 22, 2026 at 2 p.m.

 

Learn more about accessible performances at fords.org/visit-us/accessibility.