The Roundabout Theatre Company and American Repertory Theater co-production of 1776 officially opens on Broadway October 6. Previews for the Sherman Edwards-Peter Stone revival began September 16 at the American Airlines Theatre.
Jeffrey L. Page and Diane Paulus co-direct the musical about the founding fathers on the brink of signing the Declaration of Independence. The production's cast of "cool, cool considerate men" is composed entirely of performers who identify as female, transgender, and non-binary.
The company features Gisela Adisa as Robert Livingston, Nancy Anderson as George Read, Becca Ayers as Col. Thomas McKean, Tiffani Barbour as Andrew McNair, Carolee Carmello as John Dickinson, Allyson Kaye Daniel as Abigail Adams/Rev. Jonathan Witherspoon, Elizabeth A. Davis as Thomas Jefferson, Mehry Eslaminia as Charles Thomson, Joanna Glushak as Stephen Hopkins, Shawna Hamic as Richard Henry Lee, Eryn LeCroy as Martha Jefferson/Dr. Lyman Hall, Liz Mikel as John Hancock, Patrena Murray as Benjamin Franklin, Crystal Lucas-Perry as John Adams, Oneika Phillips as Joseph Hewes, Lulu Picart as Samuel Chase, Sara Porkalob as Edward Rutledge, Sushma Saha as Judge James Wilson, Brooke Simpson as Roger Sherman, Salome B. Smith as Courier, Sav Souza as Dr. Josiah Bartlett, Jill Vallery as Caesar Rodney, and Shelby Acosta, Ariella Serur, Grace Stockdale, Dawn L. Troupe, and Imani Pearl Williams as standbys.
As previously reported, Kristolyn Lloyd will succeed Lucas-Perry in the role of John Adams beginning October 25, as Lucas-Perry departs the production October 23 for another project.
The musical also has set design by Scott Pask, costume design by Emilio Sosa, lighting design by Jen Schriever, sound design by Jonathan Deans, projection design by David Bengali, and hair and wig design by Mia Neal. Page also serves as choreographer, with music supervision by David Chase, orchestrations by John Clancy, vocal design by AnnMarie Milazzo, and music direction by Ryan Cantwell. Brisa Areli Muñoz is associate director, and Alfredo Macias is the production stage manager. Casting is by Stephen Kopel.
1776 premiered on Broadway in 1969, earning Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Featured Actor (Ronald Holgate as Richard Henry Lee), and Best Direction (Peter Hunt). Roundabout Theatre Company also produced the musical's first revival in 1997. Carmello appeared in that revival as Abigail Adams.
The Roundabout/A.R.T. production premiered May 17 at A.R.T.'s at Loeb Drama Center in Cambridge, MA. The limited Broadway engagement runs through January 8, 2023, and will be followed by a national tour, kicking off February 14 in Philadelphia.
Crystal Lucas-Perry (center) and the company of 1776
Elizabeth A. Davis, Patrena Murray, and Crystal Lucas Perry in 1776
Sara Porkalob (center) and the company of 1776
Crystal Lucas-Perry (center) and the company of 1776
