The Ford’s Theatre Legacy Commissions: A First Look

In its fourth edition, Ford’s Theatre new plays festival, A First Look will showcase readings of three works currently in development. The free, two-day festival gives audiences a rare opportunity to witness the development of new historical dramas. The festival offers stage readings of the plays and allows for a closer look into the creation of stories and characters steep in history. Audiences attending the festival have seen firsthand the process of the playwrights and experienced the evolution of the work from first draft to a world premiere production on our historic stage. The 2026 festival will showcase readings of three works currently in development. A First Look features new works that explore historically significant events and figures that have contributed to the fabric of America and serves as the showcase to Ford’s Theatre Legacy Commissions. The initiative is an artistic incubator for new works that illuminate the stories of lesser-known individuals whose courage and