Wednesdays, May 12 and 19, at 3:30 p.m.

Join Young orators from Central High School in Prince George’s County will perform historical and original speeches inspired by our greatest presidential orator. This program demonstrates how the great leaders of yesterday inspire the young leaders of tomorrow to envision positive change in our shared world. Students from Central High School, in Capitol Heights, MD, have participated in a year-long class entitled Oratory in American Culture, co-designed and co-taught by Ford’s Theatre teaching artists and Central HS English and drama teachers. The program will last approximately 75 minutes. All advance tickets for this program have been reserved. A limited number of tickets will be available for distribution the day of the events, beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Ford’s Theatre Box Office.

Monday, May 24, at 7:00 p.m.

Join young orators from Central High School in Prince George’s County as they perform historical and original speeches inspired by our greatest presidential orator.  This program demonstrates how the great leaders of yesterday inspire the young leaders of tomorrow to envision positive change in our shared world. Students from Central High School, in Capitol Heights, MD, have participated in a year-long class entitled Oratory in American Culture, co-designed and co-taught by Ford’s Theatre teaching artists and Central HS English and drama teachers.  The program will last approximately 75 minutes.

No tickets are required. Seating is general admission. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

Speak like the President After-School Programs
Abraham Lincoln was well-known for his ability to use the spoken word as a powerful form of communication. In our after-school residencies, we use oratory to help students explore not only Lincoln’s life and legacy but their own communities and what it means to be a leader. In year-long after-school programs, students learn skills for self-expression using the words of Lincoln, Frederick Douglass and others to learn the tools of rhetoric and oratory.  As they progress, students write and deliver their own speeches. They perform on the Ford’s Theatre stage and take trips to hear oratory in action in Congress and the Supreme Court.  The program is free for D.C. Public and Public Charter Schools, though availability is limited by teaching artist availability.

Oratory in American Culture
This elective English course was developed in partnership with a school-based English and drama teacher at Central High School in Prince George’s County, MD.  The course is taught by classroom teachers, and co-taught one day per week by a Ford’s Theatre Teaching Artist.  Similar to Speak like the President but far more intensive, students are in class for 90 minutes every other day throughout the school year. Students in this program perform at Ford’s on an evening in May.

Click Here to watch videos from our special oratory programs.

All students in Ford's Theatre Oratory Programs perform a Spring Program of historical and original oratory onstage at the Theatre.

For information on how your school can participate in our Special Oratory Programs, please email education@fords.org or call (202) 638-2941 ext. 567.