Many of this weekend’s theatrical
offerings are focused on the celebration of the official opening of
the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. A big downtown block
party, with history as its theme, is planned for a large area
stretching from the Lincoln Home neighborhood north to the museum,
212 N. Sixth St.
On the grounds of the Old State Capitol, more
than 20 artisans representing the mid-19th century will set up a
village market. Four Civil War re-enactment groups also will be
present, some camping out on the grounds over the weekend. Dozens
of performances are scheduled at outdoor stages at the Old State
Capitol grounds, as well as at Union Park, across from the
presidential museum.
The celebration kicks off at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, when the 97th Regimental String Band performs period music at New
Salem State Park near Petersburg (seating is limited; call
217-632-4000 for reservations).
At 5:30 p.m. Saturday, the Lincoln Home hosts
the Air National Guard Band of the Midwest.
At 6 p.m. on Sunday, the 33rd Illinois
Volunteer Regiment Band of Bloomington entertains at the historic
Depot at Ninth and Monroe streets. Next, Fritz Klein re-enacts
Lincoln’s farewell-to-Springfield speech, and after which a
torchlight parade leaves the depot and make its way to the Union
Park stage for an 8 p.m. concert with the 312th Army Band,
featuring a fireworks and laser show.
Look for special performances by a number of
accomplished actors who will bring Lincoln’s times back to
life: Chris and Susan Gordy of Galena play a pair of itinerant
19th-century actors, Linda Schneider performs “Tad
Lincoln’s Father,” Kathryn Harris portrays Harriet
Tubman, Diane Moran tells Civil War stories, and Mike Follin of
Cincinnati presents “Dr. Balthasar’s Marvelous Miracle
Medicine Show.”
This weekend, of course, is the first time
the presidential museum is open to the general public (9 a.m.-5 p.m. each day). Visitors will see two
shows, “Lincoln’s Eyes” and “Ghosts of the
Library,” featuring local actors Rick Dunham, Randy Erwin, Jason
Goodreau, Troy Kemp, Ted Keylon, Dennis Rendleman, and Patrick Russell.
Not everything this weekend revolves around
the Great Emancipator, though:
The Active and Creative Teen
Theatre’s production of The
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, an
adaptation of the C.S. Lewis classic, ends its run this weekend at
the Hoogland Center for the Arts. I had the chance to the see the
production last weekend, and I applaud first-time director Molly
Mathewson and her more-than-able ensemble of teenage actors for
bringing so much life and character to the play. They actually
improved on the script, creating Lewis’ magical land of
Narnia on a basically bare stage with a nice backdrop of a forest
in winter. Kari Kelley’s characterization of the White Witch
is grand, scary, and beautiful; Joe Hawkes-Cates was exactly what
readers would picture as Tumnus the faun; and Connor Homann was a
powerful presence as Aslan, the great lion. The show ends this
weekend, with 7 p.m. shows on Friday and Saturday, April 15 and 16,
and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 17.
The Skin
of Our Teeth, Thornton Wilder’s
Pulitzer Prize-winning play, concludes a run at Parkland College in
Champaign Thursday-Sunday, April 14-17. Randi Collins-Hard, one of
the state’s best directors, oversees this production.
It’s a bit difficult to describe the play, but it’s a
comic and somewhat zany piece about the Antrobus family, from the
Ice Age to the 20th century. For tickets, call 217-351-2528.
Author, playwright, and performer
David Sedaris finally comes to Springfield, performing at Sangamon
Auditorium Sunday night. All I can say: Please bring him back! For
tickets, call 217-206-6160.
This article appears in Apr 14-20, 2005.
