 The presidential museum will present a Civil War era "tableau
vivant," a popular form of 19th-century entertainment, at 11 a.m.
and 1 and 3 p.m. in the central plaza. During a tableau performance,
the live actors strike a pose and remain motionless -- they neither
move nor speak, but stand frozen and silent in a dramatic scene,
often from history or a famous painting.
The members of the local Civilian Relief Society of the 114th
Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment Reactivated will present a
stirring patriotic-themed tableau vivant. A narrator will read a
poem, and each verse will be punctuated with a touching scene
illustrating the poem. Done with Civil War settings and attire, the
Civilian Relief Society will stage their tableau as it might have
been enjoyed by the Lincolns and their friends.
Tableaux vivants were a popular form of entertainment in the 19th
century. Adaptable to many venues both large and small, they were
even performed in the parlors of private homes.
Paid museum admission is required to experience the tableau
vivant.
For more information on the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
and Museum, visit
www.presidentlincoln.org.
[Text from
Abraham
Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
file received from the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information] |
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