Come From Away

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 Frances and Craig Lindner Center for Culture and Leadership and 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. 

The Story Behind the 2026 Commemorative Committee

It started with a conversation at intermission.

During the intermission of A Christmas Carol in December 2025, steadfast Ford’s Theatre friends and advocates Anita and Tim McBride struck up a conversation with Ford’s Theatre Director Paul R. Tetreault. The discussion quickly turned to next season’s production of Come From Away—a production that resonated with Anita and Tim ever since its D.C. premiere in 2016, and one they were eager to see return to Ford’s in 2026.

On September 11, 2001, Anita served as Special Assistant to the President for White House Management. As the attacks were unfolding Anita acted quickly to help evacuate White House staff to safety. Her first call was to Tim, an alumnus of the George H. W. Bush administration and the Director of Government Affairs at DaimlerChrysler, located just blocks from the White House. DaimlerChrysler opened its doors to more than 70 White House staff from speechwriters, schedulers, media relations and domestic and economic policy staff who continued to support the President, now navigating a country in crisis.

With this fall marking the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, Anita and Tim were compelled to help ensure that future generations understand not only the tragic events of September 11th, but also the extraordinary courage, compassion, call to service, and unity that emerged in its aftermath. In a day that forever changed our country and the world, it also revealed the very best of the human spirit.

Together, Anita, Tim and the Ford’s team envisioned a group of dedicated leaders who would ensure this production of Come From Away was a lasting commemoration, honoring everyone who was affected and preserving the lessons for generations who did not experience it firsthand—the values of humanity, community and generosity embodied in Come From Away.

From that conversation, the Commemorative Committee was born.

Led by Honorary Chairs President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush and Committee Chairs Tim and Anita McBride, the Committee unites civic, business and philanthropic leaders around a shared commitment to remembrance, education and community. Through their extraordinary generosity, Committee members underwrite the educational and public programs surrounding this production, expanding its reach and ensuring its message extends far beyond the stage.

Ford’s Theatre extends its deepest gratitude to every member of the Come From Away Commemorative Committee for making this important work possible. We are honored to recognize these remarkable individuals and organizations for their visionary leadership and generosity. Please see the accompanying insert for a complete listing of Committee members.

Together, they have helped ensure that the lessons of September 11th, and the enduring power of kindness, courage and shared humanity in the face of tragedy worldwide, will continue to inspire generations to come.

In Memoriam
Kent Knutson

We mourn the sudden passing of our dear friend and longtime board member, Kent Knutson. Kent was a passionate advocate for Ford’s Theatre for over 15 years, first in the Board of Governors and later as a Trustee, opening doors to new partnerships and opportunities that strengthened our institution immeasurably. Kent, Karen and their children were a constant presence at performances and gatherings, embodying the vivacious spirit that defined his life. Kent’s remarkable professional accomplishments, tireless commitment to nonprofit organizations like Ford’s Theatre and ardent care for his family and friends have left a lasting mark on us all.

Come From Away was Kent’s favorite production, and we dedicate this production to Kent’s memory. Also established in his memory is the Kent Knutson Memorial Fund for Artists: an endowment fund that supports artistic excellence at Ford’s and recognizes Kent’s leadership in perpetuity. Ford’s Theatre gratefully recognizes the following contributors to this fund, which has raised over $250,000 to date. To learn more about Kent’s history of service at Ford’s Theatre, and about the Memorial Fund, please contact Director of Development, Sarah J. Wilber at swilber@fords.org.

Kent Knutson Memorial Fund for Artists Donors

by José Carrasquillo, Director of Artistic Programming

It has been 25 years since the September 11th attacks. On that Tuesday morning, I recalled the sky having a vivid cobalt blue color that I had not seen before. There were no clouds and, as the sun rose, the color of the sky intensified. Air traffic controllers had given the day a “severe clear” designation. Michael McCormick, who oversaw all air traffic in the northeastern United States explained: “Severe clear is a colloquial term used by air traffic controllers to signify exceptionally clear skies with unlimited visibility. It’s a day with perfect flying conditions which makes for a great day for air traffic controllers. ” What began as a perfect day, soon turned into an unimaginable nightmare —the single worst day in aviation history, ending in approximately 2,750 deaths.

Military operations began immediately after 8:46 a.m., when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. A joint order from the Department of Defense and the FAA ordered all civilian flights to land at nearest airports. Flights coming to the U.S. from the European and Asian continents were made to turn around if they had covered less than half of their routes. But flights past the halfway mark were diverted to the north. Canada’s Yellow Ribbon Operation was put into effect at 9:45 a.m. to handle these diversions. Most of the 225 flights landed in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and British Columbia. 38 of those planes landed at the Gander International Airport, the setting for Come From Away.

Gander, a community of less than 10,000 people, received nearly 7,000 of the affectionately termed “come from aways.” As a whole, Canada found itself with nearly 33,000 stranded passengers and crew members in need of food, housing, emotional support and other necessities for an indeterminate period. These communities responded to the daunting task with overwhelming support, turning a massive challenge into a shared effort. Neighbors stepped forward to offer resources and labor with the affected airports reporting thousands of calls a day from people wanting to help. The extraordinary outpour of support lasted until the last plane departed on September 16. Canada’s public efforts to help those affected were lauded around the world as an act of kindness. On 9/11’s first anniversary, Canada’s Prime Minister Jean Chrétien went to Gander where nearly 3,000 of the folks that had been stranded the year before returned to express their gratitude and reconnect with this exceptional community that took care of them. Chrétien said, “9/11 will live long in memory as a day of terror and grief. But thanks to the countless acts of kindness and compassion done for those stranded visitors here in Gander and right across Canada it will live forever in memory as a day of comfort and of healing.” He concluded his remarks by telling the residents of Gander, “You did yourselves proud, ladies and gentlemen, and you did Canada proud.”

Michael Rubinoff, a Toronto theatre producer and educator, long believed that what took place in Gander during 9/11 would make a compelling musical. Rubinoff approached the Canadian husband-and-wife writing team of Irene Sankoff and David Hein. Irene and David traveled to Gander to meet and interview residents. They also met with those who had been stranded. They discovered that Gander folks were extraordinary storytellers and used their real-life accounts as the backbone to the musical. Their stories and experiences during those days give the musical not only authenticity, but a sense of unity and compassion.

In addition to the musical Come From Away, Operation Yellow Ribbon has been dramatized and documented in other media forms including the CBC’s miniseries Diverted, the award-winning documentary You are Here and the Discovery Channel documentary series 9/11: Cleared for Chaos.

Sources used for dramaturgical notes: 9/11 Legacy Foundation, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, 9/11 Commission Report, Operation Yellow Ribbon Wiki page.

Performances of Come From Away are made possible by generous support from:

Lead Sponsor

As a leading global exploration and production company, ConocoPhillips is uniquely equipped to deliver reliable, responsibly produced oil and natural gas. Our deep, durable and diverse portfolio positions us to help meet growing global demand and support U.S. energy security and leadership through increased domestic production. A commitment to safety, operating excellence and environmental stewardship guides us. Visit us at www.conocophillips.com

Andy O’Brien

President and Chief Executive Officer

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

At Meta, our products empower more than 3.5 billion people globally to share ideas, offer support, and make a difference. Headquartered in California, Meta has offices in over 80 cities worldwide and employs more than 75,000 people. In support of our mission to connect people, we are very pleased to support this program.

Kevin Martin

Global Head of Policy

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 and “Come From Away” Opening Night 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

Irene Sankoff and David Hein
Book, Music & Lyrics
Sankoff and Hein are the Olivier Award winning, Tony- and Grammy-nominated, Canadian writing team behind the worldwide award-winning hit musical Come From Away, currently playing to over 100 countries on Apple TV+, and around the world. Their first show, My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding, based on David’s mother’s true story, has won Best Musical awards across North America, with Sankoff and Hein performing in many productions. Together, they have written for Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros., HBO and the CW, as well as Marvel Comics and the Canadian government. They are the recipients of the FourFreedoms Good Neighbor Award and the Meritorious Service Cross of Canada which recognizes Canadians’ exceptional accomplishments.

Kevin S. McAllister
Director
McAllister is a director, actor, singer, former professor and Artistic Director/ Co-Founder of ArtsCentric. He has directed over 50 productions for ArtsCentric. Outside of the DMV, he serves as the Assistant Director Fellow for the national tour and recently closed Broadway production of Come From Away. He has won two Helen Hayes Awards for acting (including Ford’s Ragtime), and has been nominated for eight. He can also be heard on the recent Broadway revival cast recording of Caroline, or Change where he portrayed The Dryer and The Bus. When not on stage, he works regularly with young minds around the country as a clinician.

Katy Tabb
Choreographer
Select Choreography & Direction: 5th Ave.: Spring Awakening, Sweeney Todd; Village Theatre: 9 to 5 (director), Brigadoon, Legally Blonde, The Fantasticks, Cinderella, Mamma Mia, Newsies, Singin’ In The Rain, Billy Elliot; Theatre Aspen: Come From Away; Great Lakes CFA: Mamma Mia; Skylight MT: Waitress; Taproot: Hello Girls, Bright Star; Additional Choreography: Interlochen, Seattle Symphony, Cornish College; D.C.Area: Olney: Kiss of the Spider Woman (Applause Series); D.C. Performance: Olney: Cabaret, Imagination Stage: Lion/Witch

Mason Moss
Music Director
Tour: The Book of Mormon. Regional: Chicago Shakespeare: Sunny Afternoon (Jeff Award nom.), 42 Balloons; Marriott: Little Shop of Horrors, Always Something There…; Writers: As You Like It; Broadway in Chicago: Tina, The Wiz, Kinky Boots. Mason is a music director, conductor, keyboardist and arranger based in Chicago. AFM Local 10-208 and 802.

Emily Lotz 
Scenic Designer
D.C./Baltimore-Area: Imagination Stage: Princess & the Pauper: A Bollywood Tale (Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding Scenic Design); Everyman Theatre: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf; Baltimore Center Stage: Dreamgirls, Crowns; ArtsCentric: A Soldier’s Play, The Color Purple, The Wiz; Theater Alliance: Do You Feel Anger?. Regional: Milwaukee Rep: McNeal, The Craic, Always… Patsy Cline. Training: University of Maryland – College Park. Teaching: University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point Assistant Professor of Scenic Design.

Paris Francesca
Costume Designer
Olney: Carla Hall in Please Underestimate Me, Hello, Dolly! (Helen Hayes nom.); Imagination: Pete The Cat, Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood (Helen Hayes nom.); 1st Stage: Young Americans; Adventure: Frosty The Snowman (Helen Hayes nom.), Not Your Mother’s Goose (Helen Hayes Award, Costume Design), She Persisted (Helen Hayes nom.); Step Afrika!: The Evolution (Tour), Step Afrika! Celebrates 30 Years, Step Afrika! 101 (Tour), Step Afrika! Magical Musical Holiday Show. Hampton University; LIM College.

Xavier Pierce
Lighting Designer
Pierce is a lighting designer whose work spans theatre, opera and dance. His designs have been seen at The Public Theater, Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Guthrie Theater, Arena Stage, Ford’s Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, American Conservatory Theater, Virginia Opera and many other theatres across the nation.

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. Mr. Budries is Professor Emeritus of Design at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale.

Danna Rosedahl
Hair and Make-up Designer
Ford’s: The American Five, Little Shop of Horrors, Something Moving, The Trip to Bountiful, My Lord, What a Night, Fences. Regional: Signature: Bridges of Madison County; Shakespeare: Red Velvet; Portland Center Stage: A Streetcar Named Desire, Great Expectations, Ain’t Misbehavin, Three Days of Rain, Cyrano, Dreamgirls, Somewhere in Time, Snow Falling on Cedars; Actors Theatre of Louisville: Angels in America. Other: Virgina Rep.: Nine to Five. National Tours: Phantom of the Opera, Annie Get Your Gun, Flower Drum Song.

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.

Geoff Josselson Casting
NY Casting Director
Credits include: Spamalot revival, Beetlejuice, The Velocity of Autumn, … Spelling Bee, Marcel on the Train, Beau, Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, Cellino v. Barnes, Altar Boyz and many productions for Arena Stage, Baltimore Center Stage, Carnegie Hall, The Civilians, Goodspeed, Irish Repertory Theatre, Kennedy Center, Long Wharf, The New Group, The Old Globe, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Paper Mill Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse, Pioneer Theatre, Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Public, Seattle Rep, Signature Theatre, Studio Theatre and Village Theatre. For more: josscasting.com

Brandon Prendergast
Production Stage Manager
Ford’s: More than 30 productions, including The American Five, Mister Lincoln, Silent Sky, Twelve Angry Men, Come From Away, Fly, Parade. 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.

Julia Singer
Assistant Stage Manager
Ford’s: 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 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
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.

Scenery built by F&D Scene Changes Ltd.

Props built by Chris Young and Elizabeth Baldwin.

Original Broadway Producers: Junkyard Dog Productions, Jerry Frankel, Latitude Link, Smith & Brant Theatricals, Steve & Paul Reynolds, David Mirvish, Michael Rubinoff, Alhadeff Productions, Michael Alden & Nancy Nagel Gibbs, Sam Levy, Rodney Rigby, Spencer Ross, Richard Winkler, Yonge Street Theatricals, Sheridan College, Michael & Ellise Coit, Ronald Frankel, Sheri & Les Biller, Richard & Sherry Belkin, Gary & Marlene Cohen, Allan Detsky & Rena Mendelson, Lauren Doll, Barbara H. Freitag, Wendy Gillespie, Laura Little Theatricals, Carl & Jennifer Pasbjerg, Radio Mouse Entertainment, The Shubert Organization, Cynthia Stroumv, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Gwen Arment/Molly Morris & Terry McNicholas, Mauren & Joel Benoliel/Marjorie & Ron Danz, Pamela Cooper/Corey Brunish, Demos Bizar/Sqaure 1 Theatrics, Joshua Goodman/Lauren Stevens, Just for Laughs Theatricals/Judith Ann Abrams Productions, Bill & Linda Potter/Rosemary & Kenneth Willman

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/choreographer is a member 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.

The Events and Stories That Shape Us

Every story reveals as much about its teller as it does about its subject. At Ford’s Theatre, we’re privileged to tell some of history’s most powerful stories including the history and living legacy of Abraham Lincoln. Our education programs invite students to make personal connections to that history, think critically about the choices individuals and communities make and carry Lincoln’s legacy forward into their own lives.

Field Trips

Historic site field trips give students the chance to explore Lincoln’s assassination, its lasting impact on the nation and why his legacy still matters today. To make this experience accessible to all, Ford’s Theatre offers free tickets to qualifying Washington, D.C. public and charter schools, as well as Title I schools in Maryland and Virginia.

Registration is open for both in-person and virtual field trips. Reserve your classroom’s date and time today.

Lessons from the Mainstage Workshop

September 15, 2026 at 5 p.m.

In this one-hour theatre arts integrated workshop, teachers will explore how storytelling and oral history can bring the past into the present in ways that are personal and meaningful. Through interviews and first-person accounts, students become investigators of their own communities. Educators will leave with practical tools to guide students in creating original, ensembledriven work rooted in authentic human experience. Come ready to be inspired. 

Visit the Teaching and Learning page on the Ford’s Theatre website, www.fords.org.

Public Programs – The Learning Continues

Ford’s Theatre has expanded our programs for the public by offering a series of excursions, workshops and discussions. Take advantage of the rich history in our nation’s capital while connecting with other members of our local and national communities.

25 Years After 9/11: Lesson in Leadership, Resilience and Finding Our Better Angels

September 29, 2026 at 6 p.m.

September 11, 2001 was a day of profound and devastating loss, one that changed our country and our world forever. But alongside the grief, something else endured: the memory of how people responded. Our esteemed panelists will discuss the leadership that carried us through those days and the ongoing work to ensure what was learned is not lost. 

Called to Serve: Stories from Courage Can Save Us

October 6, 2026 at 6 p.m.

Join Ford’s Theatre for an inspiring conversation that honors the courage, sacrifice, and commitment of those who answered that call. Author Rye Barcott brings together several individuals featured in his book, Courage Can Save Us, for a conversation about what happens when ordinary people are called to do extraordinary things.

History Talks: A Glorious Fate

November 6, 2026 at 7 p.m.

Historian Kevin M. Levin presents his new biography of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, tracing Shaw’s transformation from reluctant volunteer to Union martyr and the enduring legacy of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry.

For more information, visit the Public Programs page on the Ford’s Theatre website, www.fords.org.

Ford’s Theatre education and public programs are supported by The 2026 Commemorative Committee, Bloomberg Philanthropies, BP America, D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, The Hearst Foundations, National Park Service, PwC, Southern Company, United Airlines and Visa Inc. with additional support from Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, Dr. Scholl Foundation and Nancy Peery Marriott Foundation.

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, September 10, 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 Come From Away are Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, October 3, 2026 at 2 p.m.

A Sign-interpreted performance of Come From Away is scheduled for Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 7 p.m.

A sensory-friendly performance of Come From Away is scheduled for Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 2 p.m.

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