At Ford’s Theatre, our mission is to explore and celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s ideals and leadership principles: courage, integrity, tolerance, equality and creative expression. "A Christmas Carol" is not just a perennial seasonal offering—it serves as an excellent example of Lincoln’s values, as seen in the story itself and in the genius behind the story, Charles Dickens.

When Charles was 12, his father was imprisoned for having too much debt, and Charles was sent to work in a “blacking factory” for three years. For 10 hours a day, Charles would paste labels onto jars of shoe polish. His experiences at the factory were inspiration behind many of his iconic characters and work.