Ditch the Black

The Heavens are Hung in Black is a new play by world famous playwright James Still and directed by Stephen Rayne. The play is making its world premiere at the historically notorious Ford Theater in Washington, D.C., on February 8, 2009. It comes at an auspicious time as the U.S. ushers in the first black president in our nation's history. The play tells the story of an incredibly important time in the life of America's 16th President, Abraham Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln was elected as America's 16th President in 1960, and took office in 1961. He was an upstanding man of honor and dignity, who valued life deeply, even to the point of giving up hunting despite the fact that it was a common part of life in that day. Though he attended church services throughout his time as president, he never joined a church, famously declaring:

"When any church will inscribe over its altar, as its sole qualification for membership, the Saviour's condensed statement of the substance of both Law and Gospel, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor, as thyself," that church will I join with all my heart and all my soul."

Lincoln and his wife suffered a heavy blow two years after he took office. Already having lost one son, Edward, in 1850, he lost another son, William, on February 20, 1862, at the age of 12 to typhoid fever. The Union and the Confederacy had already been embroiled in war for a year at that point. Five months later Lincoln declared his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. Clearly Lincoln is an interesting subject for a play, making The Heavens are Hung in Black accessible to fans of a good narrative and history buffs alike.

During the five months that stood between the death of Lincoln's son and the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln toiled over the words that he would send out. And during that time he endured a great deal of inner turmoil and suffering, including the beginning of what would be the gradual decline of his wife who never fully recovered from the death of their son. Still's play closely follows and discusses this part of Lincoln's life, offering a glimpse of the person who was Abraham Lincoln. Heavens are Hung in Black tickets are tickets to an important event, both historically and theatrically. Still's play is being presented at Ford Theater, the place of Lincoln's assassination, as an important tribute to a great man in our nation's history. There will be post-performance discussions that take place following the 2.30 pm matinee as members of the cast will take questions from the audience. These performances are Sunday February 22 and March 1.

The exciting world premiere is one that is certain to sell out quickly, so be sure to get your tickets soon. A great place to find the tickets you want at prices you can afford is at http://www.stubhub.com/heavens-are-hung-in-black-tickets. StubHub is an excellent source for fan-to-fan ticket sales, offering a great place for theater-goers to find tickets to sold out shows.