Subtitled An American Musical, the work by Paula Vogel is directed by Henry Godinez in Skokie, IL. Opening is Nov. 20.

The cast includes Broadway's Fields (a Best Featured Actress Tony nominee for The Color Purple), 16-time Jeff nominee Scrofano (The Drowsy Chaperone, Fiddler on the Roof at Marriott), Derek Hasenstab (The Lion King national tour), Girolmo (Broadway revival of Candide; Kiss Me, Kate at Drury Lane Oakbrook), Kevin Douglas (Lookingglass Alice at Lookingglass and national tour), Khori Faison (Lookingglass' Hephaestus), Alex Goodrich (The Emperor's New Clothes at Chicago Shakespeare), James Earl Jones II (25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Drury Lane Water Tower), Mildred Marie Langford (The Twins Would Like to Say at Dog + Pony Theatre), Bethany Jorgenson (A Christmas Carol at the Goodman), Samuel Roberson and Will Clinger (WTTW's Wild Chicago) as President Abraham Lincoln.

Here's how Northlight characterizes the piece: "On Christmas Eve in 1864, a fugitive from slavery and her young daughter have become separated in unfamiliar Washington, DC. As the desperate mother searches the snowy streets for her child and Mary Todd Lincoln searches for the perfect Christmas tree for the White House, familiar faces from our nation's history cross paths and storylines in this uplifting epic filled with traditional music and themes of family, reconciliation and communal hope."

Northwestern University students in the ensemble include Allie Bodsky, Gil Ghitis, Matt Kuyawa, and Kara Weisenstein. The children's ensemble includes Matt Chapelle, Kelsey McDonald, Patrick Weber, Maggie Wolf, Gaby Godinez, Elijah Griffin, Natalie Miller and Kevin Woodrow. 

The designers are Tom Burch (set), Theresa Ham (costumes), John Culbert (lights), Victoria DeIorio (sound) and Dan Katz (props). Katie Spelman is the assistant director, Rita Vreeland is the stage manager and Kimberly McAnn is the assistant stage manager.  Tickets are available by phone at (847) 673-6300, or online at northlight.org.