The Heavens Are Hung in Black

Above is a photo from the new play at Ford's Theater: "The Heavens Are Hung in Black." Ford's Theater, you will remember, is the place where Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth.

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Jocelyn and I went and saw this play last Thursday for the sweet price of 10$ a ticket (the special first-week price for people under 35). Actually, the 10$ advertised price is a lie because I ended up paying $12 in fees for a grand total of $33. So each ticket really cost around $16.50. Still, it was a great show.

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The play is a world premiere, and it covers the time between the death of Lincoln's son Willy and the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. During this time, the play depicts Lincoln's contradictary stance on African Americans. While he was a champion of their liberty from slavery, he had a difficult time recognizing them as equals. The play, by acknowledging some of Lincoln's weaknesses, portrays him as a true giant of a man. Lincoln was inspired by God to promote civil liberties and did so despite the problems that beset him.

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After the play, we took a picture of the Presidential Box where Lincoln was shot.