History on Stage

Try as elementary history books might, it’s not a well-kept secret that President Lincoln was a man of many contradictions. So much so, in fact, that even while he was delivering the groundbreaking lines to the Gettysburg Address, Lincoln himself was dealing with his own conflicted views on slavery, racism, and the concept of freedom. Civil rights activist and historian W.E.B. Du Bois even called the president a heap of contradictions, saying he was “cruel, merciful; peace-loving, a fighter; despising Negroes and letting them fight and vote; protecting slavery and freeing slaves. He was a man — a big, inconsistent, brave man.” The themes of contradictions, unlikely alliances, and inner conflicts of deeply held but outdated beliefs are all the themes in Four Score and Seven Years Ago — a musical coming to the Broward Center Amaturo Theater (201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale) on Thursday and Friday. Springboarding off of the iconic opening lines of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, Four Score and Seven Years Ago tells the story of Lemuel, a young man who escaped slavery in Georgia and struck up an unlikely friendship with Jacob, a young Confederate soldier. Together, the two men from very different backgrounds teach each other lessons on bravery, loyalty, and social change. Showtime is set for 10 a.m. with tickets costing $7. Call 954-660-6307, or visit browardcenter.org.
Thu., Jan. 22, 2015