4. Apse and Stage

The Amphitheater's two-level, marble proscenium stage has elaborate sculpture and extensive architectural ornament. The stage arch includes a quote from President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, which reads, “WE HERE HIGHLY RESOLVE THAT THESE DEAD SHALL NOT HAVE DIED IN VAIN.” The inscription on the entablature frieze quotes George Washington: “WHEN WE TAKE UP THE SOLDIER WE DO NOT LAY ASIDE THE CITIZEN.”