 When family friend John T. Ford opened 1 @,@ 500 @-@ seat Ford 's Theatre on November 9 in Washington , D.C. , Booth was one of the first leading men to appear there , playing in Charles Selby 's The Marble Heart . In this play , Booth portrayed a Greek sculptor in costume , making marble statues come to life . Lincoln watched the play from his box . At one point during the performance , Booth was said to have shaken his finger in Lincoln 's direction as he delivered a line of dialogue . Lincoln 's sister @-@ in @-@ law , sitting with him in the same presidential box where he would later be slain , turned to him and said , " Mr. Lincoln , he looks as if he meant that for you . " The President replied , " He does look pretty sharp at me , doesn 't he ? " On another occasion when Lincoln 's son Tad saw Booth perform , he said the actor thrilled him , prompting Booth to give the President 's youngest son a rose . Booth ignored an invitation to visit Lincoln between acts , however . 
