The Musical “1776” Brings American History to Life
A fresh new interpretation of our country’s fight for independence awaits you at the Marriott Theatre’s production of the 1969 Broadway musical, “1776.” While the founding fathers were all white men, this production uses women, people of color, and other races in the roles to effectively impact the story.
“1776” goes behind the scenes to tell the almost 250-year old event of our nation’s fight for freedom from Great Britain. The audience will understand how similar today’s Congress is with all the infighting, deal-making, and compromise.
In addition to being a timely history lesson, the play showcases how our democracy was shaped, something very relevant in today’s climate for the upcoming election.
Using humor and humanity, you’ll get a real feel for the characters who shaped our nation’s history.
“1776” puts a human face on the pages of history as we see the people behind the national icons: proud, frightened, uncertain, yet determined to do the right thing for their fledgling nation. The seminal event in American history blazes to vivid life in this funny, insightful, and compelling drama.
When the issue of slavery came up, the Southern states left the Congress, not wanting it to be part of the declaration. To ensure a unanimous decision, Jefferson agreed, albeit reluctantly, to remove it. That decision would come back to haunt the new country 100 years later as the basis of the Civil War.
The show is directed by Nick Bowling, recipient of eight Jeff Awards for outstanding direction with choreography by Tanji Harper and Musical Direction by Jeff Award winner Ryan T. Nelson.
While everyone knows the eventual outcome of the Declaration of Independence, director Nick Bowling skillfully builds the tension to a crescendo. The audience applauds when John Hancock puts his big, bold signature on the document.
Standouts include Tyrick Wiltez Jones as the outspoken, unpopular John Adams who was constantly put to the test for his passionate outcries. Katherine Alexis Thomas as his put-upon wife, Abigail Adams, added beautiful vocals to the production. Richard Henry as Benjamin Franklin got the most laughs with his wit and wisdom.
Kudos to costume designer Theresa Ham for creating authentic period costumes and Miguel Armstrong for the wigs (and Benjamin Franklin’s long grey hair.)
1776 is a story worth retelling to the next generation. Profoundly so.
