Jun. 8 – “1776” The Musical
Layers of ruffles and antique wooden chairs fill the rehearsal room as the men belt out, “Sit Down John,” one of the many songs of “1776: The Musical.” The accents and heated subject matter create an atmosphere in the rehearsal room that transports the actors to the sweltering July meeting 240 years ago in Philadelphia, when the battle was on not just for the nation’s independence, but how and even whether to declare it.
That is the essence of “1776,” the Tony Award-winning musical that will be staged on June 10, 11, and 17 at Pocomoke High School in Pocomoke City, Md. by the Eastern Shore Madrigal Singers and directed by theater veteran and Eastern Shore resident Mark Tyler. Written by Peter Stone with music by Sherman Edwards, “1776” encapsulates the human side of the proceedings leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It debuted on Broadway in 1969, was adapted to film in 1972 and was revived on Broadway in 1997.
The play’s central character is Massachusetts’s member of the Continental Congress John Adams, who cajoles, bullies and pleads with his counterparts to declare independence. The show requires more than 20 men to fill the parts of the country’s Founding Fathers and features players from Pocomoke, Salisbury, the Eastern Shore Virginia and elsewhere around the region.
Capturing the spirit of the times and debate, not to mention the customs and style of that area is difficult enough, but Tyler also had to find local talent capable of delivering that mood believably and musically. “With a show like this, which is so heavily reliant on having men, you have to spend months and months recruiting talent,” Tyler said. “In this case, we found many talented actors who came out for this show and we are so fortunate for that fact.”
One of the actors is Jeffery Smith, who portrays Col. Thomas McKean and who appreciates just how demanding it is to stage a play of this nature. “We are, all of us, not professional actors. Less than a handful have performed in prior plays. What we all have in common is a chromosome and a willingness to be on stage six times in June. To stand before an audience and sing, ‘It’s hot as hell in Philadelphia!’ For me, that involves channeling a 280-year-old man from Pennsylvania and Delaware who was a passionate believer in independence,” he said. The tension between Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and the host of others who stand on opposing sides of British rule is the underlying them of the show, while musical numbers and humor give it a warm energy. With the popularity of Broadway hit “Hamilton,” it is fitting and timely to present “1776” on the local stage.
When asked about the support and reception of “1776,” Tyler said “the larger Delmarva community is responding so nicely to this production. We are getting great feedback generally from financial sponsors, community advertisers buying ads in our program, and in the costuming and properties loans that our neighboring arts organizations have been offering. “We are also getting great feedback and interest from targeting audiences like local Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) chapters and in some teachers who want to bring a group of their students to one of our scheduled matinees.” Tyler, who is a history buff and a member of Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), said the show is meaningful to him on both a personal and emotional level. “I hope that everyone that comes to see the show will walk away with a greater appreciation of American history and just how special our country is – that it almost didn’t happen.
Tickets are available online at www.easternshoremadrigals.com.
