To celebrate the reopening of the Ford’s Theatre Museum, which debuted this week after nearly two years of renovations, the Ford’s Theatre Society hosted an unveiling benefit on Tuesday, giving guests a sneak peek at the museum, located beneath the theater.
The open-house-style event, which lasted from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m and reeled in 375 guests—including theater sponsors, senators, members of Congress, and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano—marked the first time a cocktail reception has ever been held on the Ford’s Theatre stage. This was no easy task, since the stage is raked, tilting downward. Jennifer Kiefer, the theater's associate director of development for special events, worked with caterers Design Cuisine on table placement to make sure nothing rolled off the stage. “The biggest challenge was the impact of the raked stage,” Keifer said. “We wondered, ‘Was the bar going to be too tippy? What kind of barrier should we use so that no one stumbles into the orchestra pit?’”
In the end, a ring of ferns lined the stage to help prevent anyone from getting too close to the edge, while three round buffet tables lined with gold tablecloths displayed trays of fresh fruit, crab cakes, green beans, and later, cupcakes, éclairs, and marshmallow-covered brownie bites. Two bars were set against a backdrop of starry blue lights, and the stage's wings offered tables for guests.
The event marked another rare occasion: Guests had the freedom to explore the new museum—from the wardrobe room to the boardroom—before it opened to the public on Wednesday. “We’ve never opened up the entire theater in this way before, where guests can go backstage and spend as much time as they want,” said Keifer. “It’s a unique chance to see everything that is Ford’s Theatre.”
After a champagne reception in the new lobby, guests could climb to the balcony and even the lighting booth, and check out the president’s box where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Downstairs, the museum offered artifacts like John Wilkes Booth’s derringer, as well as interactive exhibits showcasing Lincoln’s life in Washington. Volunteer docents and presidential historian Richard Norton Smith answered guests’ questions, while two volunteers dressed in period costumes roamed the theater.
Cost-conscious measures included hiring a three-piece jazz band instead of a five-piece band and trimming the flower budget; and Keifer kept the decor minimal so that the renovated theater itself would serve as the focal point.
