Reconstruction

LOS ANGELES – Recently the United States marked the 150th anniversary of the civil war, and this year with presidential elections looming, the argument of states’ rights vs. the federal government is as prevalent as ever. It seems the nation is still in a period of Reconstruction, with Abraham Lincoln at the forefront of American politics and culture.

Reconstruction- a new play by Claudia Restrepo which premieres at the Hollywood Fringe Festival this June, combines the legend of Lincoln with the story of Sylvia, a young woman who comes to grips with her father’s death through the help of her best friend- a larger than life figure who slings a mean cup of joe- a regular 19th century statesman – Abraham Lincoln.

During his stay, the presidential house guest occupies himself with repairing the fabric of national unity torn to shreds by the Civil War. To guests, expected and otherwise, he is as invisible as he has be...