The Civil War In Words And Music February 13, 2013

Words and music of the Civil War era will fill The Cooper Union’s Great Hall, site of Lincoln’s 1860 “Right Makes Might” speech, in a celebration of the birthday of our 16th president starring Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Judy Collins and featuring Tony Award-nominated and film actor Stephen Lang (Avatar, The Speed of Darkness, Gettysburg, Gods and Generals), Tony and Obie Award-winning actor/singer André De Shields (The Wiz, The Full Monty), pop folk singer/songwriter Dar Williams, members of The Classical Theater Of Harlem and nationally renowned Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer.

Collins will perform popular songs of the era, including some of Lincoln’s favorites: Beautiful Dreamer, Johnny I hardly Knew You and The Last Rose of Summer, as well as composer Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait, featuring excerpts from Lincoln’s great documents including the Gettysburg Address. Williams will sing, as well.

Lang and De Shields return to The Great Hall to reprise their roles as Lincoln and abolitionist Frederick Douglass, respectively, and engage in a riveting dialogue constructed from historical documents, personal letters and speeches.

Holzer, chairman of the national Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation and a consultant on Steven Spielberg’s 2012 film, Lincoln, compiled the dialogue and will serve as master of ceremonies.
This free performance, the 2013 John Jay Iselin Memorial Lecture, was made possible with the support of the Franklin Fund for The Great Hall and the New York State Archives Partnership Trust.

INFORMATION: www.cooper.edu; events@cooper.edu; 212-353-4195

Official Website: http://www.cooper.edu