A Message at Midnight — Old State Capitol
2026 · Old State Capitol, Springfield, Illinois
Ken Bradbury's Christmas play A Message at Midnight will be performed at the Old State Capitol in Springfield in December 2026. The play is set in a White House sitting room on Christmas Eve, 1864. Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln are waiting for a late General Grant, and nobody has had word from Sherman's army in six weeks.
The play has become a holiday tradition at the Visitor Center of the Lincoln Home National Historic Site. This year it moves to the Old State Capitol.
Performances
- Friday, December 18, 2026 — 6:00 pm
- Saturday, December 19, 2026 — 11:00 am
- Saturday, December 19, 2026 — 3:00 pm
Cast
Pam Brown returns as Mary Todd Lincoln.
From an earlier performance
The Lincoln Home's recording of an earlier performance is on the show page.
This was a production of Ken's original work — see the show page for the full history.