Brother to the Assassin: Edwin Booth and the Rebirth of American Theatre

This lecture will explore the career of Edwin Booth, whose work was overshadowed by the infamous act of his brother, John Wilkes Booth. Once America’s most celebrated Shakespearean actor, Booth was suddenly a man marked by association. Rather than retreat from the stage, Booth channeled his grief into a redemptive mission: to elevate American theatre and restore its moral and artistic credibility. Public historian Elizabeth M. Reese traces how Booth transformed personal grief and public disgrace into a force for artistic renewal, helping to reshape American theatre into a respected cultural institution.

Tickets are $15 to the general public and free for museum members. Members please call at (703) 548-1789 to reserve your tickets. It is highly recommended to book tickets in advance as space is limited.

Elizabeth M. Reese is a historian in the Washington, D.C. area whose research is focused on public memory, family ties, and grief. A Maryland native, Elizabeth has spent over a decade as an interpreter at historic sites on the East Coast, developing tours and programs for visitors of all ages at Hamilton Grange National Memorial and the United States Capitol Visitor Center. Her work has been published in TIME, the Journal of the American Revolution, the New York Times, and can be seen on C-SPAN. Elizabeth was awarded the Scott Hartwig Public History Fellowship at the Civil War Institute in 2015 and the America 250! Commendation Medal in 2024. Elizabeth is currently the Senior Manager of Public Programs & Interpretation at Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House and is completing her Master of Arts in American History from Gettysburg College. Her first book, Marquis de Lafayette Returns: A Tour of America’s National Capital Region, was published by The History Press (imprint of Arcadia Publishing) in 2024.

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