It’s been in development for five years and has at least a year to go. On the eve of its out-of-town debut, the actor playing Lincoln quit. And the producers still need to raise another $15 million to bring the show to New York. There really is no business like show business. (Part three of a three-part series.)

SOURCES:
- Christopher Ashley, artistic director of La Jolla Playhouse.
- Debby Buchholz, managing director of La Jolla Playhouse.
- Carmen Cusack, actor.
- Quentin Earl Darrington, actor.
- Joe DiPietro, playwright and lyricist.
- Crystal Monee Hall, composer, singer, actor.
- Ivan Hernandez, actor.
- Michael Rushton, professor of arts administration at Indiana University.
- Jeffrey Seller, Broadway producer.
- Alan Shorr, Broadway producer.
- Daniel Watts, writer, choreographer, actor.

RESOURCES:
- 3 Summers of Lincoln (2025).
- "Review: Visceral ‘3 Summers of Lincoln’ is thrilling and thought-provoking," by Pam Kragen (San Diego Union-Tribune, 2025).
- "What’s Wrong with the Theatre is What’s Wrong With Society," by Michael Rushton (ArtsJournal, 2023).
- "American Theater Is Imploding Before Our Eyes," by Isaac Butler (New York Times, 2023).
- The Moral Foundations of Public Funding for the Arts, by Michael Rushton (2023).

EXTRAS:
- “How to Make the Coolest Show on Broadway,” by Freakonomics Radio (2024).
- “You Can Make a Killing, but Not a Living,” by Freakonomics Radio (2024).

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Episode 819: Ballroom Meltdown

The Editors

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