Sister Act

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 and Something Moving, 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

Sister Act is based on the 1992 comedy film starring Whoopi Goldberg. The film was wildly successful grossing more than $230 million worldwide and becoming the most rented video title in the United States in 1993. The film is responsible for spawning a franchise consisting of the 1993 sequel, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, a musical adaptation produced in cities all over the world, and Sister Act 3 currently in production.

The journey of Sister Act begins with Paul Rudnick’s desire to bring to screen the story of Dolores Hart — a Hollywood starlet who became a nun. Born Dolores Hicks in Chicago in 1938, Hart made her film debut in Loving You (1957), starring Elvis Presley. For the next five years she appeared in several popular films including Wild is the Wind (1957) and Where the Boys Are (1960). But in 1963, at the age of 24, she purposedly closed the door on a lucrative film career in favor of life in a convent under the Rule of Saint Benedict. In 1991, Rudnick traveled to the Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, Connecticut to meet with Hart. (Today at 86, she’s still a resident of the Abbey.) He learned that Hart had been solely responsible for expanding the Abbey’s connection to the region through her love of the performing arts. The Gary-The Olivia Theater at the Abbey, an open-air theater that was built in 1982 owes its existence to Reverend
Mother Dolores Hart. Hart has said:

“The link between drama and monastic life is an ancient one. Far from putting an end to my acting career, I discovered that monastic life transcended my acting vocation. Obviously, a cloistered monastery is not the conventional place that one goes to realize one’s potential as an actress. And yet, in my case, my vocation as an actress could only have reached its fullest expression, its fullest expansion because I was fortunate enough to have been called to a monastic way of life.”

Rudnick’s visit made him eager to explore how Hart’s actions had transformed an entire community. As the script began to take shape, Bette Midler, who had been offered the starring role, exited the project believing that audiences wouldn’t buy her as a Benedictine nun in a habit. Enter Whoopi Goldberg.

As the film entered its pre-production phase, several script doctors including Carrie Fisher and Nancy Mayers were tasked with re-fashioning the film for Goldberg. Hart had been the initial inspiration, but the team of writers favored a fish-out-of-water story — a lounge singer from Reno is forced to flee to California and hide in a convent under a witness protection program after witnessing a fatal shooting committed by her mob-boss boyfriend. This is how Dolores Hart became Deloris Van Cartier (and Sister Mary Clarence inside the convent).

The stage musical version of Sister Act was written by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Glenn Slater and additional materials by Douglas Carter Beane. Although the musical adaptation kept many plot points from the film, the Steinkellner team changed the setting and the decade of the film, going from the West coast in the 90s to Philadelphia in the 70s. The change fleshed out Deloris’s story as a musician by giving her drive and ambition to become a defining act of the Disco era. Going with Philadelphia made perfect sense as some of the characteristics of Disco — the soul sound and the drum patterns of drummer Earl Young (Disco Inferno) came from Philadelphia. Several up-tempo soul records from the Philadelphia International Label—Disco’s original label, included Lou Rawls’ You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine and Patti Labelle’s The Spirit’s in It. These and other early Disco songs from the label had been playing years before the 1977 release of the film Saturday Night Fever.

Sister Act — the stage musical had its world premiere at the Pasadena Playhouse in 2006, becoming the highest grossing show in that theatre’s history to that point. A second regional production followed at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. In 2009, Sister Act opened in London’s West End. In that production, Patina Miller who had understudied the role of Deloris in the previous regional productions, played Deloris. A newly revised adaptation by Douglas Carter Beane opened on Broadway in April of 2011. Jerry Zaks, who had previously collaborated with Alan Menken in Little Shop of Horrors, became the director. Patina Miller made her Broadway debut and earned a Tony nomination for best actress in a musical for playing Deloris

Did You Know?

• In 2012, Mother Dolores Hart was the subject of the short documentary, God is the Bigger Elvis. The film was nominated for the 2012 Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject. Her autobiography, The Ear of the Heart: An Actress’ Journey from Hollywood to Holy Vows (Ignatius Press), co-authored with Richard DeNeut, was published in 2013.
• Paul Rudnick is an American writer best known for his plays I Hate Hamlet and Jeffrey. Millions of readers believe that Rudnick is the writer behind America’s most beloved and irresponsible critic—Libby Gelman-Waxner. Libby’s essays have appeared in Premiere, Entertainment Weekly and The New Yorker. His best-selling novel Farrell Covington and the Limits of Style was published in 2023 by Atria Books.
• In 2011, Deloris Blakely, a nun, sued Disney and Sony Pictures for “misappropriation of likeness and unjust enrichment.” Blakely claimed that her 1987 memoir, The Harlem Street Nun, was turned into Sister Act without permission. Blakely dropped the initial suit to serve the studios with a new lawsuit asking for $1 billion in damages. In February 2013, the New York State Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit.
• After the London and Broadway productions, Sister Act has become a popular title for regional theatres across the country. Many credit the accessible storyline, likeable characters and the upbeat music for its popularity. Three of the songs from the musical — Take Me to Heaven, Fabulous, Baby, and The Life I Never Led, climbed the music charts and became popular songs.
• Whoopi Goldberg achieved EGOT status in 2002. Sister Act turned Goldberg into the biggest movie star of the 90’s. She earned $10-12 million for the film sequel making her the highest paid actress of that decade. She is one of the producers of Sister Act’s West End and Broadway productions. Goldberg is seen weekly by millions of television viewers on The View. She will return as Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act 3.
• Bette Midler biggest professional regret? Turning down Sister Act. She has said: “I didn’t think filmgoers and fans would buy me as a nun. Whoopi wore the habit all the way to the bank!”

Lead Sponsor

ConocoPhillips is the world’s largest independent E&P company based on production and proved reserves. Headquartered in Houston, ConocoPhillips has operations across 14 countries where approximately 9,900 men and women work in a truly integrated ways to find and produce oil and natural gas. A commitment to safety, operating excellence and environmental stewardship guides our operations.

Ryan Lance

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Sponsor

Altria believes that supporting vibrant cultural experiences that reflects our broader investment in the community. We’re proud to support Ford’s Theatre for all who visit and engage with this historic organization.

Billy Gifford

Chief Executive Officer

Sponsor

The Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer with a total of 2,345 retail stores and over 780 branches across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico, employing over 465,000 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

KPMG LLP is the U.S. firm of the KPMG global organization of independent professional service firm providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. Our multi-disciplinary approach and deep, practical industry knowledge help clients meet challenges and respond to opportunities. KPMG is committed to local communities and is proud to be an underwriter for Sister Act. To learn more about KPMG’s commitment to our communities, visit our page: www.kpmg.com/us.

Steven G. Barry

National Partner in Charge, Regulatory and Quality Monitoring

Sponsor

Siemens Corporation is a U.S. subsidiary of Siemens AG, pioneering a new industrial tech sector by investing more than $20 billion nationally since 2007. For over 160 years, we’ve advanced the core industries—manufacturing, infrastructure, transportation—that form the backbone of America’s economy. Through digital twins and industrial AI, Siemens delivers expertise in electrification, automation, and digitalization, increasing customer performance and sustainability. In fiscal 2024, Siemens US generated revenue of $21.2 billion, with 24 manufacturing sites across the nation and more than 45,000 employees serving customers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

Barbara Humpton

Chief Executive Officer, Siemens USA

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

Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global defense technology company driving innovation and advancing scientific discovery. Our all-domain mission solutions and 21st Century Security vision accelerate the delivery of transformative technologies to ensure those we serve always stay ahead of ready. The company’s vision for 21st Century Security centers on helping the U.S. and allies leverage emerging technologies and advanced capabilities to create a resilient, interoperable and connected network that deters threats.

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

Additional Support:

Costumes funded in part by support from SHEIN.

Alan Menken
Composer
Theater: God Bless You Mr Rosewater, Little Shop Of Horrors, Real Life Funnies, Atina: Evil Queen Of The Galaxy, Kicks, The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz, Beauty And The Beast, A Christmas Carol, Weird Romance, King David, Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame, The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, Leap Of Faith, Aladdin and Newsies. Film: Little Shop Of Horrors, The Little Mermaid, Beauty And The Beast, Newsies, Aladdin, Pocahontas, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, Hercules, Life With Mikey, Lincoln, Home On The Range, Noel, Enchanted, Shaggy Dog, Tangled, Mirror Mirror. Songs: Rocky V, Home Alone 2, Captain America. Awards: 8 Oscars (19 nominations), 11 Grammys (including Song of the Year), 7 Golden Globes, Tony® (plus 4 nominations), Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, New York Drama Critics, Olivier and London’s Evening Standard Award, Drama League. Honors: Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, Doctorates from New York University and University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Glenn Slater
Lyrics
Co-created Disney’s Tangled (Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe nom.), Sister Act (Tony nom.), The Little Mermaid (Tony nom., Grammy nom.), and School of Rock. Executive Producer/Lyricist: Galavant, Songs: Home On The Range (Disney), Leap of Faith (Tony nom.). West End: Book/ lyrics: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies (Olivier nom.). Other work includes: an Emmy-nominated song The Neighbors (2013), Newyorkers [Manhattan Theatre Club (Lucille Lortel, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle noms.)]. Honors: Kleban Award for Lyrics, ASCAP/Richard Rogers New Horizons Award, Jonathan Larson Award. Training: BMI Musical Theatre Workshop. Membership: ASCAP, Dramatists’ Guild.

Cheri Steinkellner
Book
Winner of four Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes, People’s Choice, BAFTA, Writers Guild Award, Parents Choice, TV-Land Legend Awards, for writing and producing Cheers, The Jeffersons, Facts of Life, Family Ties, Who’s The Boss, Teacher’s Pet. A 2011 Tony-nominee for Sister Act; Cheri has also written Princesses; and book and lyrics for Mosaic, and Jailbirds. Other stage includes: Our Place, Instaplay, Hello! My Baby (Indy Award, Ovation nom.). Teaching: Stanford, UCSB.

Bill Steinkellner
Book
Award-winning television and screen writer: Cheers, Disney’s Teacher’s Pet (Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAS, Writers Guild, People’s Choice Awards). Book writer (with wife, Cheri): Sister Act (London Palladium, Hamburg, Broadway), Princesses (Goodspeed, 5th Avenue). Writer/director: the original Pee-wee Herman Show (Groundlings, Roxy Theatre, HBO). Creator/director: Instaplay, L.A.’s first all-improvised musical-comedy. Author: the L.A. Times bestseller Postcards From the Moon.

Douglas Carter Beane
Additional Book Materials
Plays: The Nance (3 Tony Awards; Live from Lincoln Center); The Little Dog Laughed (Tony and Olivier nom., Best Play), Fairycakes, Shows for Days, The Country Club, Mr. & Mrs. Fitch, Music From a Sparkling Planet, As Bees in Honey Drown. His first play Advice From A Caterpillar (Outer Critics Circle nom.) was made into a film and received the Aspen Comedy Festival Best Feature award. Film: To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar. Musicals: Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Adaptor, 2 Tony noms.), Xanadu (Book, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, 2 Tony noms.), Sister Act (2 Tony noms.), Lysistrata Jones (Book, Tony and Drama Desk noms.) Other: The Bandwagon (Book), Rockettes, Radio City Music Hall, Die Fledermaus (Libretto, Met Opera).

Jeff Calhoun
Director/Choreographer
Ford’s (Associate Artist): Big River, Shenandoah, The Civil War, Violet, Freedom’s Song. Regional: Goodspeed: The Boy who Loved Batman, A Complicated Woman; Asolo Rep/La Jolla: Bonnie & Clyde. Broadway: Newsies, Bonnie & Clyde, Grey Gardens, Deaf West’s Big, Brooklyn, Bells Are Ringing, Annie Get Your Gun, Jekyll and Hyde, Grease, Tommy Tune Tonite!, The Will Rogers Follies. Off -Broadway: Between the Lines (Tony Kiser Theater). Other: West End: Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5: The Musical; Old Globe: Jane Austen’s Emma: A Musical Romantic Comedy; Deaf West’s Pippin, Oliver! UK Tours: High School Musical 2 (On Stage), Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5: The Musical.

William Yanesh
Music Director
Ford’s: Little Shop of Horrors, Guys and Dolls, Into the Woods (Helen Hayes award, Music Direction). Regional: Signature: Jesus Christ Superstar; The Last Five Years. Arena: Snow Child; Round House: Ordinary Days. D.C.-Area: Labor Heritage Foundation: Working in DC. 1st Stage: Floyd Collins. Music and Lyrics: Flying V: Vanishing Girl. Adventure Theatre: Make Way for Ducklings; Blueberries for Sal; Caps for Sale. Training: Carnegie Mellon University. williamyanesh.squarespace.com @barbershopraga

Paige Hathaway
Scenic Designer
Ford’s: Little Shop of Horrors. Regional: Round House: Sojourners, The Mountaintop; Signature: Hair, Penelope, No Place to Go, RENT; Everyman: Primary Trust, And Then There Were None; Arden: Assassins. Other: Village Theatre: Dial M for Murder; Santa Fe Play House: On Clover Road; Barrington Stage: A New Brain; Amphibian Stage: Juan Garcia, Miss Molly; Writer’s Theatre: A Distinct Society. MFA: University of Maryland, College Park. BFA: University of Oklahoma. www.paigehathawaydesign.com Instagram:@paigehathawaydesign

Ivania Stack
Costume Designer
Ford’s: (Associate Artist) Something Moving, The Trip to Bountiful, Silent Sky, Jefferson’s Garden. Regional: Arena, Round House, McCarter Theatre, Gulf Shore Playhouse, Asolo Repertory, The Wilma, Seattle Repertory, Philadelphia Theatre Company, TFANA, Signature; D.C.-Area: Olney, Woolly Mammoth (Company Member), Baltimore Center Stage, Everyman Theatre, Contemporary American Theatre Festival, Theatre J, Imagination Stage, Studio, Synetic, Kennedy Center, Gala Hispanic Theatre, dog & pony dc. Education: MFA, Univerity of Maryland College Park.

Max Doolittle
Lighting Designer
Ford’s: Little Shop of Horrors, My Lord, What a Night. Regional: Signature, Round House, Geffen. D.C.-Area: Woolly Mammoth, Folger, Olney, Mosaic, Theatre Alliance, Baltimore Center Stage, Theatre J, Rep Stage, Kennedy Center/Second City, Imagination Stage, Forum, Adventure, ArtsCentric, Constellation, Shakespeare Theatre Academy for Classical Acting, Pointless Theatre Co, NextStop Theatre. NYC includes Ars Nova, Juilliard School, Theatre Row, New Ohio Theatre, New World Stages, Signature Theater Center. Other: Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Kitchen Theatre Company, Santa Fe Playhouse, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Pennsylvania Shakespeare, Fulton Theatre. TV: Anderson Cooper 360, Piers Morgan Live. BFA, Ithaca College. MFA, University of Maryland.

David Budries
Sound Designer
Ford’s (Associate Artist): Little Shop of Horrors (2010, 2023), Grace, Guys and Dolls, Into the Woods, The Wiz, Ragtime, 110 in the Shade, Freedom’s Song, The Widow Lincoln, Spelling Bee, Violet, Hello, Dolly!, Our Town, 1776, Parade, Liberty Smith, The Civil War, Meet John Doe, Shenandoah. New York: 11 productions on and off-Broadway. Regional: Hartford Stage, Center Stage, Dallas Theatre Center, La Jolla Playhouse, South Coast Repertory, Yale Repertory Theatre. Teaching: Professor Emeritus of Design, David Geffen School of Drama at Yale.

Kelley Jordan
Hair and Make-up Designer
A seasoned wig, hair, and make-up designer with over 40 years of experience, most recently seen in Frozen (TUTS); Rock & Roll Man (New York); The Little Mermaid, The Wiz (5th Avenue Theatre); Mary Poppins, Rock of Ages (TUTS); Little Shop of Horrors, Sister Act, The Color Purple, Joseph (The Muny); An Officer and a Gentleman (National Tour). She is the first African American Female Wig Designer & Supervisor to work at The Muny and credits her talents and love of hair to her mother, Clara “Mickey” Wings. IATSE Local 805. k.jordantheatrical.com @k.jordantheatrical

Kim Scharnberg
Orchestrator
Ford’s (Associate Artist): Into the Woods, Ragtime, Freedom’s Song, Hello, Dolly!, 1776, The Civil War; orchestration, music direction and music supervision for several Annual Galas. Broadway: The Great Gatsby, Jekyll & Hyde (original and revival), Scarlet Pimpernel, The Civil War, Little Women (Drama Desk nom.), Wonderland. International: No Longer Human, The Legend of 1900, Phantom (Yeston), Doctor Dolittle, Rudolf, Carmen, The Count of Monte Cristo. Composer/Arranger for the Pageant of the Masters, Laguna Beach, CA (2009 to present). www.KimScharnberg.com

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), University of Missouri – Kansas City; BFA (Acting), University of Maryland – Baltimore County.

Craig A. Horness 
Production Stage Manager/Associate Director 
Ford’s: Little Shop of Horrors (2024); Grace; Into the Woods; The Wiz; Ragtime; 110 In The Shade; Freedom’s Song; Hello, Dolly!; 1776; 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. 

Taryn Friend 
Assistant Stage Manager
Ford’s: A Christmas Carol, 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. Arena: Oklahoma! Signature: 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. 

Genevieve Dornemann
Assistant Stage Manager
Ford’s debut. Regional: Signature: A Funny Thing Happened…Forum, HAIR, Sweeney Todd; Shakespeare: Evita, Macbeth in Stride. D.C.-Area: Folger: Where We Belong; Kennedy Center TYA: The Mortification of Fovea Munson; Rep Stage: Songs for a New World; Woolly Mammoth: Teenage Dick; Imagination: Óyeme, the beautiful, Inside Out; Synetic: The Tempest. Other: The Barnstormers Theatre: Pride and Prejudice, Into the Breeches!; Lookingglass Theatre Company: Lookingglass Alice. Training: Imagination Stage Apprentice Class 2017-2018: Production.

Kristin Fox-Siegmund 
Deputy Director and Director of Programming 
Since joining Ford’s in 2006, Fox-Siegmund has overseen the creation of the Center for Education and Leadership and the renovation of the historic theatre and museum, as well as the world premiere productions of 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 and Leading Ladies and 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 
Since joining Ford’s in 2004, Tetreault has enhanced the quality of the institution’s artistic programming and expanded its mission to include a stronger focus on education. He led a $50+ million capital campaign, the most extensive renovation to the theatre and museum since the building reopened to the public in 1968, and the creation of the Center for Education and Leadership, which seeks to further explore Lincoln’s legacy. Tetreault served as managing director of the Alley Theatre for 10 years, producing more than 100 productions and working with artists such as Edward Albee, Tony Kushner, Trevor Nunn, Nicky Silver, Frank Wildhorn and August Wilson, among others. He has held senior management positions with Crossroads Theatre Company, New Jersey; Berkeley Repertory Theatre, California; and Circle Repertory Company, New York City. He served as director of finance at Madison Square Garden and as a vice president with C.W. Shaver and Company, Inc., a New York management and fundraising consulting firm. He has served as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts and has taught and guest lectured at Brooklyn College, Columbia University, New York University, the University of Houston and Rice University. He is a graduate of Emerson College and received his MFA from the City University of New York-Brooklyn College. He serves on the Board of the Downtown DC BID.

Scenery built by F&D Scene Changes Ltd.

Props built by Elizabeth Baldwin, Dan Covey, Felysia Furnary, Dre Moore, Justin Nepomuceno, Jonathan Dahm Robertson

The actor 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. 

The musicians of the orchestra are represented by the D.C. Federation of Musicians, Local 161-710.

Education Resources Online and On Demand

Ford’s Theatre Education offers a myriad of ways in which to engage with the history of our site and learn about the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Each pathway offers a unique exploration and varies in its form and content.

Learn about Lincoln’s Assassination on Ford’s Website

Dive deeper into the story of Lincoln’s murder at the hands of John Wilkes Booth. Take a closer look at artifacts from the fateful night in this richly curated online exhibit filled with high resolution photographs and insightful information to prompt classroom discussions. Each page on the site offers new information including a timeline of the day’s events, first-person eyewitness accounts from the theatre and evidence used in the trial of the conspirators. Ask and answer questions about the impact of Lincoln’s death on America and the legacy that continues to live on today.

Visit the Lincoln’s Assassination pages at www.fords.org to begin your exploration.

One Destiny: On Demand

Ford’s Theatre presents One Destiny: On Demand, available to stream from your home or your classroom. The 40-minute play explores the fateful night of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination told from the perspectives of Ford’s Theatre owner Harry Ford and actor Harry Hawk. As they reconstruct the sequence of events, they grapple with the question: Could John Wilkes Booth have been stopped?

The recorded performance features performers Michael Bunce and Stephen F. Schmidt and is a wonderful complement to a historic site visit or classroom curriculum. A lesson plan and educational resources are available for download on our website.

Information about One Destiny: On Demand can be found on the Ford’s website: www.fords.org.

Public Programs

Ford’s Theatre offers expansive public programs designed for the historically curious. Our initiatives 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.

Cabinet Conversation: AI >> The Algorithm of Change

Date: April 22, 2025
Time: 4:30 p.m. ET

Join us for an online conversation with experts in the field as we explore the intersection of the arts, history and technology.

The Civil War was a period of tremendous technological advancement and Lincoln was deeply fascinated by such innovations like the telegraph, which revolutionized communication during the Civil War. Today, we find ourselves in another era of rapid technological change, with Artificial Intelligence influencing nearly every aspect of our lives – from communication and education to historical preservation and artistic creation. This episode will draw a line from Lincoln’s embrace of technology to today’s AI revolution, exploring the opportunities and challenges of this new technological frontier. Panelists include Jason Jamerson, Miriam Vogel and Allison Wickens.

This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

National Oratory Fellows — A Celebration of Oratory

Date: May 5, 2025
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET

Join us for an afternoon of powerful speeches from our National Oratory Fellows and student delegates from across the country.

Hear from today’s and tomorrow’s leaders as they recite texts that have made history. Students can also choose to share speeches they have written themselves about topics that are important to them. This yearly event features educators and students from across the country voicing their diverse experiences, perspectives and visions for a brighter future.

Find out more information about these events by visiting the Public Programs page on our website: www.fords.org.

Ford’s Theatre education programs are supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, BP America, D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, The Hearst Foundations, Institute of Museum and Library Services, The Honorable Anita B. and The Honorable Timothy J. McBride, National Park Service, National Park Foundation, PwC, Southern Company and Visa Inc. with additional support from United Airlines.

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 November 21. 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 Sister Act are Thursday, April 10 at 7 p.m.and Saturday, May 3 at 2 p.m. 

Sign-interpreted performances of Sister Act are Saturday, April 5 at 2 p.m. and Thursday, April 17 at 7 p.m. 

A sensory-friendly performance of Sister Act is Saturday, April 26 at 2 p.m. 

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