By Adam Hetrick
29 Oct 2009

The Huntington Theatre Company has announced the ensemble cast for Paula Vogel's music-tinged holiday play, A Civil War Christmas, which will begin performances in Boston Nov. 13.

Steppenwolf associate artist Jessica Thebus directs the production that officially opens Nov. 18 and will run through Dec. 13 at the Boston University Theatre.

"With A Civil War Christmas, I was struck once again by the strength of Paula's voice," Huntington artistic director Peter DuBois said in a statement. "Her writing is consistently innovative and intellectually rich. With this play, she's given a great gift to us all: a new American Christmas celebration."

The cast includes Ken Cheeseman (President Abraham Lincoln), Karen MacDonald (Mary Todd Lincoln) and Jacqui Parker (Elizabeth Keckley), as well as Uzo Aduba, Chris Bannow, Jason Bowen, Gilbert Glenn Brown, Ed Hoopman, Savannah Koplow, DeLance Minefee, Stephen Russell, Molly Schreiber and Hyacinth Tauriac.

Completing the ensemble are Aaron Parker Fouhey, Alicia Hunt, Sarajane Mullins, Blake Pfeil, Rebbekah Vega Romero, Yannis, Kalaria Okali, Oliver Jay, Lily Steven, Grace Brakeman, Cameron Kelly, Gabriele Lyman-von Steig, Lauren Sabbag, Abby Spare and Amari Veale.

A Civil War Christmas: An American Musical Celebration, according to the Huntington, "takes place on Christmas Eve 1864. In the White House, President and Mrs. Lincoln plot their gift giving. On the Potomac, a young rebel soldier challenges a Union blacksmith’s mercy. In the streets, a fugitive from slavery searches for her daughter on the night she finds freedom. Playwright Vogel weaves these stories and more into an American tapestry, showing us that the gladness of your heart is the greatest gift of all."

Andrew Resnick serves as musical director, with musical arrangements, orchestrations and supervision by Tony nominee Daryl Waters. A Civil War Christmas will enlist local choirs from the greater Boston area to entertain prior to the performance.

A Civil War Christmas has scenic design by Dan Ostling, costume design by Miranda Hoffman, lighting design by T.J. Gerckens, and sound design by Ben Emerson.

Tickets are available by calling (617) 266-0800 or by visiting Huntington Theatre. The Huntington Theatre Company performs on the Boston University main stage, located at 264 Huntington Avenue in Boston, MA.