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| For Immediate Release: March 5, 2007 |
Contact: Jill Burwitz (217) 558-8970 office (217) 299-6165 cell |
Exhibits come alive at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum Live performances scheduled Springfield, Ill. — Historical characters speaking from the past continue to bring history alive at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. The latest addition is "Mrs. Wade," a 19-century character appearing from time to time in the Ford's Theater exhibit of the Museum's Journey Two. Mrs. Wade's brother was in attendance at the theater the night Lincoln was shot. Illinois State Historian Tom Schwartz wrote the script based on a letter from 1865. Local Springfield actress and museum volunteer Sandra Fritz portrays the character, who speaks to the audience in the weeks after the assassination of President Lincoln. Her next performance is Saturday, March 10 from 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Another new addition is the one-woman presentation titled From My Front Porch. The 15-minute piece is set on the front porch of a Springfield woman's house in 1863. An entire front porch theatre set is rolled out into the Museum Plaza for the performances. The piece was written by Christy S. Coleman in collaboration with BRC Imagination Arts. Coleman has been the President and CEO of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African History in Detroit, Michigan since 1999. Previously, she was with Colonial Williamsburg for ten years, where, among other things, she conceived and created the initially controversial, but ultimately successful, Slave Auction re-enactment that received national recognition. The actor in this living history presentation portrays a Springfield homemaker of the era who is trying to get her housework done, but stops to talk with the visitors (the museum audience) who have walked by her porch. The character, Rose Adams, tells stories about Springfield, the Lincoln family and Civil War happenings. Museum volunteer Patricia James-Davis performs the piece. Davis has performed locally in the play Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years. Performances of From My Front Porch will take place throughout the Spring/Summer season at the Museum. The next performance is Saturday, March 10 at 11:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Museum admission is required to view both performances. The new presentations are directed by the ALPLM's Theater Director, Phil Funkenbusch. ###
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