There is something uniquely powerful about live theatre—especially when it is experienced together. When students and educators sit in a room with hundreds of others, watching a story unfold in real time, the experience becomes more than entertainment. It is shared reflection, collective emotion, and, often, deeper understanding. At Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., that impact is heightened by the setting itself. During the 2026–2027 season, Ford’s Theatre will offer educators and student travel planners a rare opportunity to combine performance, place and historical inquiry into a memorable experience.
The upcoming season will open with Come From Away (September 11–October 17, 2026), a musical centered on compassion and community in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. For student groups, the production offers a meaningful way to explore recent history through the arts, emphasizing empathy, global interconnectedness and civic responsibility. Experiencing the story live underscores how theatre can unite people, creating moments of shared laughter, reflection and insight.
That sense of communal experience continues during the holidays with A Christmas Carol (November 19–December 31, 2026). A long-standing Ford’s Theatre tradition, the production connects students to classic literature while reinforcing themes of social responsibility and moral growth. For many educators, the performance has become a reliable and engaging way to complement classroom study.
Spring brings a shift in tone with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (March 13–May 15, 2027). The show’s humor and interactive elements highlight the spontaneity of live performance, reminding students that theatre is shaped not only by performers, but also by the audience itself. Each performance is different—an important lesson in why live storytelling remains relevant in a digital age.
A visit to Ford’s Theatre, however, reaches beyond the stage. Historic Site Visits allow students to walk through the museum, the historic theatre and the Peterson House, where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and passed away in 1865. Through artifacts, exhibits and immersive spaces, students can examine the events surrounding Lincoln’s assassination and explore its lasting impact on American history. This historic site illuminates both the immediate aftermath and the broader questions of leadership, democracy and national memory.
The site visit is self-guided and accessible, making it easy to align with a wide range of curricular goals in history, civics and social studies. Standing in the same theatre where Lincoln attended a performance encourages students to consider history not as a distant concept, but as something that occurred in a real, human space—one that continues to tell stories today.
In a city filled with monuments and memorials, Ford’s Theatre offers something distinct: a place where students can encounter history and storytelling side by side. During the 2026–2027 season, educators will find Ford’s Theatre to be more than a performance venue––it is a space where past and present come together, inviting reflection, discussion and shared discovery.
Written by J.R. Watson, Associate Director of Tickets and Sales Strategy, Ford’s Theatre Society.
Photo courtesy of Maxwell MacKenzie.
