A smile swept over Susan Dittman's face as she peered into the auditorium at Lincoln Southeast High School on Sunday afternoon.
"I didn't expect it to be so full," she said.
Seven years ago, Dittman wrote "Abraham Lincoln's Shining Star." After a collaboration with 50 kids, five storytellers and countless hours of preparation behind the scenes, her book was turned into a musical performance for the city's 17th annual Abraham Lincoln Birthday Celebration.Â
The event was also part of the Nebraska sesquicentennial and celebrated Lincoln's 208th birthday.
Deborah Freeman, an instructor at Southeast Community College and drama director at Lincoln Christian School, worked alongside Joann Herrington to organize the "many different working parts."Â
"It was a labor of love," Freeman said. "It's really been coming together. It's like a big puzzle, and all of the pieces are starting to fit."
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Students from Belmont Elementary, College View Academy, Lincoln Christian School and Prescott Elementary began practicing several weeks ago.
"When I first informed my students that they'd be performing, their eyes lit up," said Luke Thallas, a music teacher at Belmont Elementary School. "You could see it on their faces Thursday when they showed up for the rehearsal that they were ready to work and get stuff done."
Thallas said the experience was very educational for the students and provided them with a better background about the state's and city's founding.
Dittman has worked with America's Great Stories, a Lincoln ministry that presents historic storytellings of the country's leaders, for nearly 18 years.
"My commitment is to historical accuracy," she said. "I go to all ends to ensure accuracy."Â
She became interested in writing about Abraham Lincoln while she was volunteering in her twin sons' third grade classroom. She continued to research about the president and was struck by his ties to God.Â
"The more I got to know about Lincoln, the more I became in awe of his character," she said.
She said she hopes the book gives children a role model.
Before the performance, the public was invited to look at historic artifacts, have a slice of birthday cake, compete in an Abe Lincoln impersonation contest and talk with Civil War reenactors. Music was provided by Chris Sayre.
Joshua Andersen, a reenactor for the First Nebraska Volunteer Infantry, said the celebration had more attendees than in previous years. The warm weather and increased traffic from students and parents attending athletic events at the school helped increase the crowd size, he said.
"It's great to see kids be interested in history," he said. "It's our job to fill some of the holes in their knowledge."