Where I Am Tonight AND Who I Am With

As I have reported here before, I am a volunteer usher at Ford's Theatre, here in Washington DC. The highlight each year is, of course, the gala that is held each year, which draws the cream of Washington politicians, and the President of the United States. Tonight the theater will have its grand reopening celebration and the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, will be in attendance. It is an event I have been waiting four years for. My previous three galas have been celebrated with the 43rd President and I am very excited to be in the same room as our new President.

Ford's has undergone a major renovation and has only just reopened. I was in attendance last Friday night for a preview performance of "The Heavens are Hung in Black," the first play of the 2009 season. It stars David Selby as President Lincoln and takes place in the months between the death of Lincoln's son, Willie, and the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. You can read a review of the play here and you can read more about the renovation of the theater here.

Tonight's celebration will feature performances from James Earl Jones, Jessye Norman, Joshua Bell, Jeffrey Wright, and Kelsey Grammer. Richard Thomas (John-Boy!) will serve as emcee for the evening and Lincoln Medals will be bestowed upon George Lucas and Sidney Poitier. As I said, can you understand why I have been looking forward to this? A new era of new programming for the gala (read: no more country music!) makes this Brave Astronaut a very happy boy.

And while, yes, the theater did get all new chairs, the entire renovation is amazing. There are now elevators in the building, an expanded lobby, with a gift shop and concessions. A new museum will open in the late Spring. It is such a grand venue here in Washington. I urge anyone who lives here or is planning on coming to Washington, to make some time to experience a play at Ford's. Perhaps I will even be there to help you to your seat.