'1776' Opens at the Paper Mill Playhouse 4/19

Paper Mill Playhouse's 1776, Directed by Gordon Greenberg and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, will run at the Millburn theatre from April 15 through May 17, 2009. 1776 was selected by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts as part of the American Masterpieces Series in New Jersey. American Masterpieces is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts.

The production officially opens tonight, Sunday, April 19th.

1776 takes place in the summer when our nation is ready to declare independence if only our founding fathers can agree to do it. 1776 follows John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Richard Henry Lee, and Thomas Jefferson as they attempt to convince the members of the second Continental Congress to vote for independence from the shackles of the British monarchy by signing the Declaration of Independence. A musical about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, 1776 puts a human face on the pages of history.

1776 features Don Stephenson (John Adams), Robert Cuccioli (John Dickinson), Conrad John Schuck (Benjamin Franklin), Kerry O'Malley (AbiGail Adams), Lauren Kennedy (Martha Jefferson), Kevin Earley (Thomas Jefferson), and Nick Wyman (John Hancock).

Additional casting includes: James Barbour (Edward Rutledge), Jeff Brooks (Rev. John Witherspoon), Erick Buckley (Robert Livingston), Kenneth Cavett (Col. Thomas McKean), James Coyle (Caesar Rodney), MacIntyre Dixon (Stephen Hopkins), Ian R. Gleason (Josiah Bartlett), Todd A. Horman (Roger Sherman), Jamie LaVerdiere (James Wilson), John O'Creagh (Andrew McNair), Kevin Pariseau (Charles Thompson), Tom Treadwell (Lyman Hall), Aaron Ramey (Richard Henry Lee), Michael Rose (George Read), Michael Scibilia (Joseph Hewes), Ric Stoneback (Samuel Chase), and Matthew C. Thompson (Lewis Morris). 1776 also features; Andrew "Curly" Glynn, Griffin Matthews, and Jared Miller.

1776 will play the following performance schedule: Wednesdays at 7:30PM, Thursdays at 2:00PM & 7:30PM, Fridays at 8:00PM, Saturdays at 2:00PM & 8:00PM and Sundays at 2:00PM & 7:30PM. Single tickets are now on sale and range in price from $25 to $92. Student rush tickets are $20 and are available the day of performance in person with current student ID. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973-376-4343, or at the Paper Mill Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.papermill.org. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express accepted. Groups of ten or more can receive up to a 35% discount on tickets and should call 973-379-3636 ext. 2438.

Photo by Kevin Sprague