A group of confederate and union soldiers fight each others with swords and bayonets. In the middle of the fight a man sings.

Cast of the Ford’s Theatre production of Freedom’s Song: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, directed by Jeff Calhoun. Photo by Scott Suchman.

Freedom’s Song: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War

An epic musical!

March 13, 2015 — May 20, 2015

This epic musical features the words of Abraham Lincoln and music inspired by the letters of those who lived through the Civil War. With rousing music, stirring speeches and historic costumes, Freedom’s Song evokes the soaring hopes and tragic losses of the real people of Civil War America. Through a series of highly theatrical vignettes, we see everyday Americans courageously confront the gritty realities of a tattered nation and a war that pitted brother against brother. Lincoln’s inspirational words intermix with these stories, imagining a bloody nation once again unified and the return of a truly United States. Jeff Calhoun (Broadway’s Newsies) returns to direct this lively historical opus.

Ford’s Theatre is developing this work as part of Ford’s 150, a series of events commemorating the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination.

Artistic Team

Written by Frank Wildhorn, Gregory Boyd and Jack Murphy

Music Frank Wildhorn

Adapted by Richard Hellesen and Mark Ramont

Director / Musical Staging Jeff Calhoun

Music Director Michael T. Sebastian

Music Advisor and Orchestrator Kim Scharnberg

Scenic Design Tobin Ost

Costume Design Wade Laboissonniere

Lighting Design Michael Gilliam

Sound Design David Budries

Projection Design Aaron Rhyne

Wig and Make-Up Design Anne Nesmith

Dialects Leigh Wilson Smiley

Military Choreographer David Leong

Props Designer/Coordinator Marie Scneggenburger

Production Stage Manager Craig A. Horness

Assistant Stage Manager Taryn Friend

Cast

Carolyn Agan

Union Private’s Wife

Todd Adamson

Union and Confederate Soldiers, Understudy

Jessica Lauren Ball

Understudy

Ryan Burke

Union and Confederate Soldiers

Ashley D. Buster

Slave / Fugitive’s Wife / Housekeeper

Samuel Edgerly

Union and Confederate Soldiers, Understudy

Christopher D. Harris

Union and Confederate Soldiers

Michael J. Mainwaring

Understudy

Gregory Maheu

Union Private

Kevin S. McAllister

Fugitive

Matthew G. Myers

Union and Confederate Soldiers, Understudy

Ines Nassara

Understudy

Tracy Lynn Olivera

Confederate Private’s Wife / Nurse

Jobari Parker-Namdar

Slaves / Abolitionists

Nova Y. Payton

Storyteller / Slave / Housekeeper

Rayshun LaMarr Purefoy

Slaves / Abolitionists

Darren Ritchie

Confederate Captain

Matthew Schleigh

Understudy

Chris Sizemore

Confederate Sergeant, Understudy

Stephen Gregory Smith

Confederate Private, Dance Captain

Jason Wooten

Union Captain

From the Gallery

An African-American man dressed in 19th century clothing holds up his chained hands and sings.

Jobari Parker-Namdar in the Ford’s Theatre production of Freedom’s Song: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, directed by Jeff Calhoun. Photo by Scott Suchman.

Five men in union soldier uniforms stand and sing. Four hold rifles with bayonets on the end, a fifth holds a calvary saber.

Ryan Burke, Samuel Edgerly, Christopher D. Harris, Gregory Maheu and Jason Wooten in the Ford’s Theatre production of Freedom’s Song: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, directed by Jeff Calhoun. Photo by Scott Suchman.

A woman in 19th century clothing holds a swaddled infant and sings. Behind her is a confederate flag.

Tracy Lynn Olivera as a nurse in the Ford’s Theatre production of Freedom’s Song: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, directed by Jeff Calhoun. Photo by Scott Suchman.

An African-American man stands on a chair behind a table and gives a speech. Two women and a man listen to him. Behind him the text of the Declaration of Independence is projected, with the words "All Men Are Equal" superimposed.

Jobari Parker-Namdar, Rayshun LaMarr Purefoy, Ashley D. Buster and Nova Y. Payton in the Ford’s Theatre production of Freedom’s Song: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, directed by Jeff Calhoun. Photo by Scott Suchman.