Celebrities and Politicians come together at Ford’s Theatre to celebrate the Fourth of July with a star-studded performance.
By Roshan Farazad
Ty and Holly Burrell. Photo by Tony Powell
On Sunday evening, politicians and celebrities came together in a small and cozy setting at Ford’s Theatre to celebrate the Fourth of July as well as honor human rights activists Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Justice Albie Sachs, who received Lincoln Medals for their strong involvement in the freedom and peace movements in South Africa. Among the high profile guest list were President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, Colin Powell, Maya Angelou, and Justice Sotomayor, as well as a star-studded performance line up including Kelly Clarkson, Lionel Richie, and Renee Fleming. The light-hearted evening was also filled with many laughs as host Ty Burrell, from the television comedy “Modern Family,” and comedian George Lopez lit up the stage with a few jokes. The performance brought back childhood memories when Dick Van Dyke and the Vantastics performed acapella renditions of “Chiddy Chiddy Bang Bang” and “Chim Chim Cheree,” and cast members from the Broadway musical “Mary Poppins” performed “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocius.” President Obama spoke at the end of the performance with First Lady Michelle Obama, who stood by his side in a beautiful silver gown. After the event, guests wearing gowns and tuxes headed over to the National Building Museum for drinks, mingling, and dinner catered by Design Cuisine. ABC will be televising the Ford’s Theatre Gala on July 2, 2010 at 9 p.m.
Wayne and Catharine Reynolds, Andy Stern. Photo by Tony Powell.
Dick Van Dyke. Photo by Tony Powell.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Photo by Tony Powell.
George Lopez. Photo by Tony Powell.
