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Ford's Theatre Museum - MaddieM - 09-24-2012 11:01 AM
Seeing as I'm probably never going to get to visit....can anyone share a blow by blow account of their visit? Can you actually stand in the presidential box and look over the balcony at the stage?
RE: Ford's Theatre Museum - BettyO - 09-24-2012 11:24 AM
Maddie --
I hope you get over here across the pond sometime soon - Ford's is wonderful -- and they have statues of the conspirators in the basement - my favorite is the assassination exhibit. No - you can not go into the Presidential box - you used to be able to do so years ago. But you can go around the dress circle to the box. They have also replaced the original reproduction cane bottom chairs with modern theatre seats which ruined it a bit for me - but that is that.... it is still a working theatre.
Interior of Ford's Today -
![[Image: fordstheatre.jpg]](http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/689/fordstheatre.jpg/)
Exhibit in Basement
![[Image: 25692554.jpg]](http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/39/25692554.jpg/)
Powell and I (in the Basement- Assassination Exhibit)
![[Image: surrattconference201204.jpg]](http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/210/surrattconference201204.jpg/)
Picture hanging in hallway upstairs - somewhat out of perspective - but still nice....
![[Image: surrattconference201206.jpg]](http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/525/surrattconference201206.jpg/)
RE: Ford's Theatre Museum - LincolnMan - 09-24-2012 11:52 AM
Betty: in the photo:which one is the conspirator?
RE: Ford's Theatre Museum - BettyO - 09-24-2012 12:01 PM
The shorter red headed one....
RE: Ford's Theatre Museum - RJNorton - 09-24-2012 12:07 PM
Would you hire him to dig a gutter?
RE: Ford's Theatre Museum - BettyO - 09-24-2012 12:16 PM
Roger - a boy that size can dig anything he likes!
RE: Ford's Theatre Museum - Gene C - 09-24-2012 01:02 PM
(09-24-2012 12:07 PM)RJNorton Wrote: Would you hire him to dig a gutter?
I think he looks a little pale for the job. But that fiery red head looks like she's up for the task
RE: Ford's Theatre Museum - MaddieM - 09-24-2012 01:03 PM
(09-24-2012 11:24 AM)BettyO Wrote: Maddie --
I hope you get over here across the pond sometime soon - Ford's is wonderful -- and they have statues of the conspirators in the basement - my favorite is the assassination exhibit. No - you can not go into the Presidential box - you used to be able to do so years ago. But you can go around the dress circle to the box. They have also replaced the original reproduction cane bottom chairs with modern theatre seats which ruined it a bit for me - but that is that.... it is still a working theatre.
Interior of Ford's Today -
Exhibit in Basement
Powell and I (in the Basement- Assassination Exhibit)
Picture hanging in hallway upstairs - somewhat out of perspective - but still nice....
You look diddy! how tall are you, Betty?
(09-24-2012 11:24 AM)BettyO Wrote: Maddie --
I hope you get over here across the pond sometime soon - Ford's is wonderful -- and they have statues of the conspirators in the basement - my favorite is the assassination exhibit. No - you can not go into the Presidential box - you used to be able to do so years ago. But you can go around the dress circle to the box. They have also replaced the original reproduction cane bottom chairs with modern theatre seats which ruined it a bit for me - but that is that.... it is still a working theatre.
What's the dress circle... the first floor? So you can walk down the corridor to the balcony but cannot see inside? Or is it just fenced off?
What are those statues made from? Plaster?
RE: Ford's Theatre Museum - BettyO - 09-24-2012 01:17 PM
Believe it or not I'm 5' 9", Maddie! I was wearing sneakers.... Supposedly these statues are life size -- Lew was a BIG boy!! They are made of some sort of plastic/molded composition....
I told one of the curators that if they ever "Tire" of Lewis Powell that I want him for my library at home! HA!
(09-24-2012 01:17 PM)BettyO Wrote: Believe it or not I'm 5' 9", Maddie! I was wearing sneakers.... Supposedly these statues are life size -- Lew was a BIG boy!! They are made of some sort of plastic/molded composition....
I told one of the curators that if they ever "Tire" of Lewis Powell that I want him for my library at home! HA!
The dress circle is on the floor and the second balcony is where you get to the box....sorry - but I got mixed up.....
Here I am with Atzerodt -- I'm slightly taller than him.....
![[Image: bettyandgeorge.jpg]](http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/823/bettyandgeorge.jpg/)
RE: Ford's Theatre Museum - Gene C - 09-24-2012 02:46 PM
It looks like you've surprised George. All the color is drained from his face.
RE: Ford's Theatre Museum - Laurie Verge - 09-24-2012 03:07 PM
Maddie,
From the first floor, tiny lobby, you climb a set of stairs to get to the dress circle/first balcony (Betty was right the first time). Walk along that wall to the Presidential Box. There will be an open door to a small hallway. There is plexiglass covering what would have been another door to the box. They allow you into the hallway enough to see the Box from that plexiglass opening. You are actually seeing the interior of two boxes because the moveable partition had been taken down on the night of the assassination to allow room for the guests.
The whole theater is smaller than you think, but on the night of the assassination there was somewhere around 1400 people present. Of course, the second balcony was also used by the public then with benches instead of seats, I believe. Today, all the modern equipment to keep the stage shows going take up that space.
If you ever have the opportunity to come to the D.C. area, Christmas at Ford's is wonderful with their annual production of A Christmas Carol. The 19th-century costuming in a 19th-century theater setting is a treat -- despite those horrible new seats that look more like 1930s than 1860s.
RE: Ford's Theatre Museum - MaddieM - 09-24-2012 03:10 PM
(09-24-2012 01:17 PM)BettyO Wrote: Believe it or not I'm 5' 9", Maddie! I was wearing sneakers.... Supposedly these statues are life size -- Lew was a BIG boy!! They are made of some sort of plastic/molded composition....
I told one of the curators that if they ever "Tire" of Lewis Powell that I want him for my library at home! HA!
(09-24-2012 01:17 PM)BettyO Wrote: Believe it or not I'm 5' 9", Maddie! I was wearing sneakers.... Supposedly these statues are life size -- Lew was a BIG boy!! They are made of some sort of plastic/molded composition....
I told one of the curators that if they ever "Tire" of Lewis Powell that I want him for my library at home! HA!
The dress circle is on the floor and the second balcony is where you get to the box....sorry - but I got mixed up.....
Here I am with Atzerodt -- I'm slightly taller than him.....
OMG... I'm only 5 foot 4 inches tall! I'm the diddy one!
RE: Ford's Theatre Museum - Laurie Verge - 09-24-2012 03:53 PM
I'm only 5'3." I'm short, but I have a loud mouth!
RE: Ford's Theatre Museum - Gene C - 09-24-2012 04:01 PM
(09-24-2012 03:53 PM)Laurie Verge Wrote: I'm only 5'3." I'm short, but I have a loud mouth!
Isn't it amazing how nature compensates
RE: Ford's Theatre Museum - Donna McCreary - 09-24-2012 09:38 PM
Since we are sharing height -- I'm 5'2", with a mouth as loud as Ethel Merman's, and on occassion a quick temper like -- shall we say, Mary Lincoln?