Ty Burrell, star of ABC's comedy hit, "Modern Family," hosts "America Celebrates July 4th at Ford's Theatre," airing Friday, July 2, (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network. The program is taped at Ford's Theatre Society's annual gala taking place June 6 in Washington, D.C. The celebrities joining Ty Burrell for the special include Kelly Clarkson, Dick Van Dyke, Renée Fleming, George Lopez, Lionel Richie and Robin Roberts. In addition, other performers include Laura Michelle Kelly and Gavin Lee from the Broadway company of "Mary Poppins," as well as The Soldiers' Chorus of the United States Army Field Band. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have been invited to attend. First Lady Michelle Obama serves as the honorary chair of the gala celebration. Honorary co-chairs are Mrs. Landra Reid, The Honorable Elaine L. Chao, Mrs. Dingell, Mrs. Abigail P. Blunt, Dr. Sharon Malone and Mrs. Catherine B. Reynolds. Since its reopening in 1968, more than a hundred years after the April 14, 1865 assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, Ford's Theatre has been one of the most visited sites in the nation's capital. Ford's Theatre has enthralled visitors because of its unique place in United States history, and its mission to celebrate the legacy of Abraham Lincoln and explore the American experience through theatre and education. |