“Idea-packed drama! Hellesen has seeded this … with colorful Civil War details and anchored it to a lively, often humorous portrait of the president. Fleshing out the portrait is David Selby, an actor who is an old pro at this particular game, having depicted Honest Abe in Ford’s The Heavens Are Hung In Black. The plays conflicts turn not so much on personalities as on big ideas: What does leadership entail? Do suffering and sacrifices have pay-offs, in religious terms or otherwise? And what kind of country is American meant to be? Obviously, many of these issues resonate – and aggravate – in our own political landscape.”
-The Washington Post

“Arresting! David Selby as Lincoln and Craig Wallace as Douglass make a convincing, contrasting duo in countenance, demeanor, and voice. The spirited conversations in which they engage evoke a fly-on-the-wall quality, giving the audience the sense of truly eavesdropping on history as it’s being made. Selby seems effortlessly to channel the great man in an inspired mix of folksiness … warmth, melancholy, and political savvy. Selby’s sly, earthy Lincoln and Wallace’s dignified, fiercely determined Douglass spar about war, peace, politics, and moral courage. In some of the play’s best, most human moments, Hellesen imagines the two men finding common ground and a common bond in the pain of losing a child, the memory of a brutally hard upbringing, the loneliness of becoming a self-made man, and the sacrifice of devoting one’s life to a cause.”
-Washingtonian

“Compelling! Wallace makes Douglass' brilliance as an orator completely credible as Selby makes believable Lincoln's self-effacing style and down-home wit. What's most impressive about Necessary Sacrifices is the way it brings together two iconic figures at first as leaders, but ultimately portrays them as men who have experienced pain and loss, retaining a personal bond beyond respect. It's an excellent way for Ford's Theatre to begin the celebration of Black History Month.”
-Washington Examiner

“Selby’s manner and disposition are engaging and nearly irresistible. It’s a masterful performance that must be seen to be believed. In perfect counterpoint is Wallace as Douglass, whose ferocious countenance and booming voice could shake the mess out of misery.”
-DC Theatre Scene

“Five stars! A breath-taking step back in history. Craig Wallace as Frederick Douglass provides a powerful performance. He is fiery and fierce.... His performance is nothing short of thrilling. Selby creates Lincoln as a real man. The humanity of Lincoln exudes from every inch of Selby’s body. Necessary Sacrifices is an exceptional masterpiece of historical reality. Any historian would be amazed, and those who wish to see history at its liveliest should attend.”
-Maryland Theatre Guide

Photo of David Selby and Craig Wallace by T. Charles Erickson.