and he had seen laura keene act before. and he liked her and had gone then -- and general grant was to have gone with him also. but begged off to go visit his family in new jersey. and also by some reports that mrs. grant was not that keen on being there with mrs. lincoln. a huge challenge too for all of this was timing out what occurred during that performance of "our american cousin." every account that i would read, interviews some of these actors gave 20, 30, 40 years later. some of them lived into the 1930s, 70 years after the deed. and as i read their interviews they would say, well, so-and-so was just coming on from the stage during the milk maid scene. or, it was in act ii scene i that i realized something was happening. so all of the actors and the stagehands were talking about this in terms of the script. so to get a chronology of the day, i read out loud the script. and there are about seven versions of the "our american cousin" script. i used the 1865 version. read it out loud, timing, pausing for laughs. and do

laura keene if anything can be viewed as a tragic figure in the theatrical figure, it's laura keene. up until the assassination she's one of the most respected, feared admired theater managers in america. in a man's world she's a highly successful theater manager and actress. she's completing her two weeks starring engagement, they've had good audiences, the war is over, so washington crowds have been really positive and supportive. that night she's on stage. as soon as the assassination occurs, her managerial instincts kick in. she walks to the edge of the stage and she tries to quiet the audience saying, order, gentlemen. order. if you'll remain in your seats all will be well. she doesn't have much luck. she's escorted by one of the actors who knew his way backstage, out the stage door, back upstairs, through the fords' apartment, back in through the side entrance to the box, which was now open where she cradles the head of the dying president. i found this one comment of hers so striking. she said that holding his head, he resembled montegne's dead christ, the painting of the dead

laura keene. she noticed him sneaking by. she stopped the play. she instructed the orchestra to play "hail to the chief." even in this theater between 1,700 and 2,500 people all stood up and gave the president a standing ovation. people were cheering, they were very very excited and happy to see their president who had just helped them win this big victory in the civil war. and then he would finally go in, sit down and enjoy the rest of the play until of course the tragic hoemt trajgic moment that he was shot about two hours after he came in. all the clothing items went with lincoln to the peterson house where he was brought to live out his final hours. and after lincoln was taken from the house, his body was removed back to the white house. those items stayed there, but then they were returned to mrs. lincoln. mrs. lincoln is then the one who gave that greatcoat to dunn who was a favorite door keeper a kind of usher. he's the one who kept it for many years. he kept it in his family for over two generations. he had many offers to have that coat bo

and the fact that laura keen and mary lincoln were linked forever by that event. i was very intrigued by those two women and what they might have to say to each other. >> side bar question. after the tragedy happened here was her play ever produced again? >> oh, yes. that play was the most produced play in the country and there were many versions of it. in fact, they were booked to do a performance two days later and she went to cincinnati to do it, but she was brought back to washington because they were all suspects. but yeah, she continued. >> so mary bacon, how did you get involved with this project? >> well, i am -- i did a premiere -- well premiere of james' play of called "iron kisses." i can't remember how many years ago. but i knew -- i knew him. and then so when the audition came up, just knowing the writer, and that it's a new play of his, that makes you interested immediately. if you liked him. and you believe in their voice, and the strength of their plays. also, for me, my late mother-in-law, my husband's mother was a really wonderful woman. judy lin

laura keene, the actress and our american cousin -- >> whose play it was? >> whose play was at ford's, our american cousin that was being acted when the terrible thing, tragedy happened on stage, and the fact that lawyer' and mary lincoln were linked forever by that event, i was very intrigued by those two women and what they might have to say to each other. >> sidebar question after the tragedy happened here was the play ever produced again? >> oh yes, that play was the most produced play in the country and there were many versions of it. they were booked to do a performance two days later. she went to cincinnati to do it but she was brought back to washington because they were all suspects. >> interesting. >> she continued. >> so mary bacon how did you get involved with this project? >> well i did a premier of james, play of james, called iron kisses. i can't remember how many years ago. but i knew -- i knew him, and then so when the audition came up, just knowing the writer and that it's a new play of his, that makes you interested immediately, if you li