Abraham Lincoln-Frederick Douglass musical is frank about slavery

In 1862, Abraham Lincoln held a forum to consider a possible solution to the country’s dispute: What if all the free blacks left the United States and settled in Central America?

The controversial president’s proposal Lincolia It is one of the many historical events that have been reviewed in the new theater show “3 summer from Lincoln,” Which begins on Tuesday at the Saint -Jula theater in San Diego.

“What the president does not understand is that we are not foreigners, not strangers on this land,” says Queen Earl Darrington in the role of Friedrich Douglas in Mashhad. Then he leads a choir of black men in a sexy gospel number that objects to the ridiculous proposal:

We are inheritors of their glories, sorrows and joys
It was formed from the race of our men and our children
Therefore, there is no time to silence, and the noise is raised
We deserve the same luck that the white man enjoys

Global Production Premiere, which spanned March 30 due to strong prior ticket sales, distinguishes unlikely friendship Between the famous and the famous technical president. The opponents that turned into a famous American history form, although the two leaders met only three times.

“These men were deeply in the minds of each other for years and fighting from afar through speeches and press articles,” said Christopher Ashley, coach of La Jolla, who leads the show. “They really changed each other – Lincoln, for example, turning from an accurate politician to bold work stores, largely due to Douglas – they have accomplished a lot.

“But many of the problems they were struggling with are still with us,” he added. “So we are all trying to make an offer to be achieved in that relationship and also speaks to the current moment.”

Any comparisons compared to “Hamilton” understood, given that both musicians focus on an explicit writer, a pivotal head and a war that has lasted years ago determining the future of the country. Both symptoms use contemporary species to recite actors in the past and cosmic stars as white historical characters. (Even both of them break the stage of theater Refer to the Scottish play by name))

Hamilton or ‘1776’ Or anything that does not have a monopoly, “said” 3 summer from Lincoln “Daniel J. WhatsApp, along with his colleagues in the co -designer John Roa, graduates in the phenomenon of Lin Manuel Miranda.” Yes, this offer cannot be found without them, and we are in a conversation With them all. “

Because of the preparation of the civil war, “3 summer of Lincoln” focuses on A. The topic of “Hamilton” two centers: slavery. Many scenes are looking for closed meetings, with discussions about who is allowed to recruit, and who has the privilege of sadness and who deserves to enjoy the freedoms of America.

“One of the most interesting things about photographing this era is all similarities with today, and how many of these conversations themselves occur over and over again,” said Saycon Sengbloh, who depicts sewing and activist Elizabeth Kikli.

“You can adjust the discussions of the Senate and the discussions of the House of Representatives, which are similar to the discussions of the cabinet in our program, which is also sad and wonderful.”

Music discusses these thorny topics, and you are not afraid to be explicit about an ugly chapter in the history of the United States. However, it is entertaining, thanks to the anthem of anthem, contemplative songs and amazing click numbers that follow the invention of the game change: The Telegraph.

“People will come to this, they may think that they know what it might be.” “But because we are close to it in a completely different way, this is not a lesson in history. This goes beyond all.”

Carmen Kozak plays the role of Marie Todd Lincoln and Saycon Sengbloh, photograph Elizabeth Kikli in “3 Summers of Lincoln”.

(Sandy Huffyer / Times)

The vision was not always very bold. During the epidemic, the producers of theatrical writer Joe Diptro approached the creation of only a theatrical piece about Lincoln, “Who is already The most writing about a person in history, after Jesus ChristRemember.

“My first idea: This is a vast pledge. Does Lincoln have a good idea of ​​music? How is it not a white Savioor?

Depending on more research, Dipietro has grown by Lincoln with regard to Bougallas; Their three meetings were held in recent years of the president. “Although they were opponents who did not agree on much, they should have recognized something in each other-like this man plays on my level,” said Deeptro, the writer of the exhibition book and the co-author.

“These two giants must find deep respect for each other because they grew to become friends. They put them as leaders in such a story, and this is interesting.”

The story begins in 1862, early in the civil war. Before his first face on the stage, each of them shares with the audience his own ideas, general personalities, family members and achievements so far.

“Everyone has the idea of ​​Lincoln as preserved and gathered, and he was, but he had his faults and general, and he must have been very emotionally fought,” said Ivan Hernandez, who plays the president’s role. “This great weight you hold, this responsibility that he bears; in a musician, you can hear him really express these strong ideas and emotions.”

“Most people know the Clifsnots version of Frederick Douglas, and I didn’t know even the complete depth of its effect until it really dive into this role,” Darrington added.

Many say about how to teach history and ethnic relationships in our country, taking into account whoever everyone knows and who we know only on the roof. It is a shameful thing that his story has not been shed on it more, and it is one of the most important things we do. “

Daniel J. WhatsApp on Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln, who was filmed by Queen Earl Darrington and Ivan Hernandez at the exhibition: “A force that cannot be stopped collision with an unstable body.”

(Sandy Huffyer / Times)

When they finally meet, “it is an explosion, such as the embodiment of force that cannot be stopped collision with an unstable body,” said WhatsApp. This collision is expressed not only in the dialogue but in the result, as the music can only do.

“During the show, each of them has their own audio identities – a slightly size, systematic, very pressure, and Douglas, delicious and delicious outside the gate, with no thing together.”

“Then we hear what it looks together, which is this tingling density when you already meet your match. After this scene, you can hear its effect on each other.”

While the narration jumps from management halls to the battlefields, production uses projection design to celebrate both the well -known writings of Lincoln and Douglas.

Ashley said: “We have two masters of language who have expressed a lot of effectiveness, confidence, clarity and lyric.” “The projections reflect and amplify this as part of the visual vocabulary, whether they are the articles of the Douglas newspaper or the CV, or the text of the declaration of liberation.”

“Although the audience may know how historical music ends,” what is most open in the show is to see the chaotic progress process, “Darrington said.

“Often we believe that the word what is spoken is, a document is signed, a procedure is made, then everything is linked in the beautiful bow. But my God, no. It is a lot of failure, death and escape, because people at that time do not know Exactly what to do. They may have known where they wanted to go there.

“We were not trying to accomplish after that, we are still trying to accomplish,” Carmen Kozak, who depicts Mary Tod Lincoln. “At the present time, it seems that the darkest times in our world, and that we do not know how to gather because everything is muddy. Even among people in my family, I never felt this gap.

She added: “What we can do as artists is to use our crafts, our skills and our hearts to keep the dialogue open.” “This is the most important thing, we are not just running to our corners, but we are still talking about this.”