Palm Beach Dramaworks to Stage Reimagined 1776

"I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is called a disgrace, that two are called a law firm, and that three or more become a Congress."

Despite the sound of it, those words are not a present-day social commentary. They are the first words spoken in the Tony Award-winning musical 1776, which will be presented during this fraught election year by Palm Beach Dramaworks, opening on Friday, July 1(8pm). The show, written by Peter Stone (book) and Sherman Edwards(music and lyrics), runs through July 24 at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre, with specially priced previews on June 29 and 30. This will be a fully staged production - not a concert as in previous summers - with direction by Clive Cholerton, musical direction by Craig D. Ames, and choreography by Michelle Petrucci, who also serves as assistant director.

Without making any changes, PBD is planning a reimagined and nontraditional production. Casting will be announced at a later date. Scenic design is by Michael Amico, costume design is by Brian O'Keefe, lighting design is by John Hall, and video design is by Sean Lawson.

Conceived by Edwards, who at one time taught American History at a high school in New Jersey, 1776 is set in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where the Second Continental Congress, in the words of Benjamin Franklin, "is trying to get a nation started." That remark, along with the opening line uttered by John Adams and much of the narrative, springs from Stone's imagination. (The musical is emotionally honest but takes considerable poetic license.) Stone provided one of the best books ever written for a musical; as the contentiousness and compromises of working toward creating and signing the Declaration of Independence play out, the Founding Fathers are no longer just towering historical figures, but real life, warts-and-all people. And despite the fact that the ending is never in doubt, the show manages to keep the audience in suspense.

1776 premiered on Broadway on March 16, 1969, and played a total of 1,217 performances. The cast included William Daniels as Adams, Howard Da Silva as Benjamin Franklin, and Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson. All three, along with several other members of the original cast, recreated their roles in the 1972 film version. The show was successfully revived on Broadway in 1997.

Palm Beach Dramaworks is a non-profit, professional theatre and is a member of the Theatre Communications Group, the South Florida Theatre League, Southeastern Theatre Conference, Florida Professional Theatres Association, Florida Theatre Conference, and the Palm Beach County Cultural Council.

The performance schedule is as follows: Evening performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 8PM. Matinees are Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2PM. Individual tickets are $65, with specially priced preview tickets at $45. Tickets for subscribers who place their order on or before June 1 are $58, with specially priced preview tickets at $38. Student tickets are available for $10, subject to availability. Groups of 20 or more receive $5 off the price of each ticket.

The Don & Ann Brown Theatre is located in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach, at 201 Clematis Street. For ticket information contact the box office at (561) 514-4042, open Monday from 10AM to 5PM, Tuesday through Saturday from 10AM to 6PM, and Sunday from 11AM to 5PM, or visit www.palmbeachdramaworks.org.