Journey into the mind of Mary Todd Lincoln, one of the most complex and misunderstood figures in American History.

Colleen Wallnau plays Mary Todd in an Off-Broadway production of Mary Todd...A Woman Apart

"I would rather marry a man of mind.., with a hope and bright prospects ahead for position, fame and power, than to many all the houses of gold," proclaimed the genteel and aristocratic Mary Todd, shortly before her controversial marriage to the humble, but ambitious lawyer, Abraham Lincoln, in Springfield, Ill, in 1842. Now, more than 150 years later, the life of Mary Todd is the subject of the new play to premiere at the Centenary Stage Company (CSC) in March, Mary Todd...A Woman Apart.

Written by Centenary Stage Company's artistic Director, Carl Wallnau, Mary Todd...A Woman Apart explores the intriguing life of a woman who in her youth was said to be "the very creature of excitement." Mary Todd's life as the wife of Abraham Lincoln was destined to be mercurial. Born to an affluent family of Lexington, KY, Todd received an excellent education uncharacteristic of women in her day. She was outspoken and steadfast in her belief in her husband's abilities and potential, although their early years together brought financial struggles.

Todd's tenure in the white house as "First Lady" mingled misery with triumph. An extravagant entertainer, Todd set her guests at ease at opulent social gatherings in the White House, but it was in the White House that she also suffered the death of her favorite son, Willie, and then her husband's assassination as she sat in the box next to him at the Ford's theatre that fateful night in 1865.

Shattered by the death of loved ones, Todd hovered between depression and a tortured fear of poverty. In 1875, Todd's son Robert brought insanity proceedings against his mother, which led to a four-month residency in a private sanitarium. To this day the question of Mary Todd's "sanity" is the subject of speculation. In July of 1876, with the help of a political ally, Todd received a new hearing and another jury declared her "sane." Mary Todd died in 1882 in Springfield, Ill, in the same house from which she walked out as the spirited and hopeful bride of Abraham Lincoln, 40 years before.

Reviews from the Mary Todd... A Woman Apart
NYC May 2003:

Reviews from the Mary Todd... A Woman Apart
last year at CSC (from March 2002):

Colleen Smith Wallnau In The Title Role

CSC welcomes back the gifted Colleen Smith Wallnau to portray this poignant, moving and often comic personal story of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln. Ms Wallnau, who performed on Broadway and with the European tour of Crazy for You, will be remembered by CSC audiences for her many portrayals on the Centenary Stage in such productions as Marvin 's Room, The Killing of Sister George and The Haunting of Hill House.

Playwright
Written by CSC Artistic Director, Carl Wallnau, Mary Todd.. .A Woman Apart explores the intriguing life of a woman who in her youth was said to be "the very creature of excitement." Mary Todd's life as the wife of Abraham Lincoln was destined to be Mercurial.

Performance Schedule

Mary Todd.. .A Woman Apart, will be performed April 20 - May 18, 2003 at the Samuel Beckett Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street in New York City. Performance details as they are available.

Tickets

Contact the Samuel Beckett Theatre Box Office at 212 279-4200 for tickets.