Ben Franklin

Review: 1776 at EPAC
by Rich Mehrenberg - Jul 18, 2026

What better way to celebrate America’s 250th birthday than to see the musical, 1776?  Running through August 1st, this show spotlights the main obstacles and issues leading to America’s independence.  Perhaps the biggest lesson that the audience will come away with is that political bickering, backstabbing, and controversy is nothing new.  It’s naturally embedded in our national DNA.

HAMILTON Gets Deluxe Box Set with Original Cast Album, Mixtape, and Hamildrops
by Josh Sharpe - Jul 16, 2026

Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton is getting a new box set album to commemorate its tenth anniversary. Titled Rise Up! Hamilton: The Anthology, the collection arrives on September 25.

Review: 1776 at Musicals At Richter
by Sean Fallon - Jul 12, 2026

On Saturday, July 11th, I had the pleasure of seeing yet another phenomenal production at Musicals at Richter, in Danbury, 1776. Seeing this show at this outdoor venue on a clear night is a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Robert Bria designed the set, which primarily depicts the inside of Independence Hall. Director David Halliwell, music director Andrew Gadwah, and choreographer Emma Kelly help bring out the best in this stellar cast! The stage chemistry and stage presence of this cast is so strong that the audience can easily forget that we are not watching an actual debate. I had never seen this show before and was quite impressed by how it draws the audience right in and consistently holds our attention. It was clear that the entire cast had fun performing.

MSMT Hosts Second PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN
by Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold - Jul 3, 2026

Despite the heat, a large audience gathered at Curtis Memnorial Library on July 1 to enjoy a conversation with four of the stars of MSMT’s smash hit, 1776, now playing at the Pickard Theater in Brunswick through July 11. The panel, moderated by Broadway World’s Carla Maria Verdino-Süllwold, featured MSMT Artistic Director Curt Dale Clark (Richard Henry Lee), James Patterson (John Adams), Alicia Kaori (Abigail Adams), and David Girolmo (John Hancock). The discussion focused on the unique aspects of the Sherman Edwards/Peter Stone musical, the historical context for this “play with music,” the struggles of the Founding Fathers to achieve the goal of independence, and the complex relationships among the characters. The afternoon concluded with some fun in a lightning round, followed by questions from the floor.

1776 to Open Musicals at Richter's 42nd Outdoor Season in Danbury
by A.A. Cristi - Jun 23, 2026

Musicals at Richter, Connecticut's longest-running outdoor theater, will present the Tony Award-winning musical 1776 to kick off its 42nd season at the Richter Arts Center in Danbury.

BILL by Roger Q. Mason to Receive Developmental Reading with PlayPenn
by A.A. Cristi - Jun 18, 2026

Roger Q. Mason's new play BILL, a sequel to Lavender Men, will receive a developmental reading at Open Jar Studios in New York as part of PlayPenn's New Play Development Conference.

THE PRINCE PARTS 1 & 2 to Close Central Works' Final Season After 36 Years
by A.A. Cristi - Jun 9, 2026

Central Works announced THE PRINCE PARTS 1 & 2, a six-act world premiere written and directed by Artistic Director Gary Graves, as the final production of its 36th and last season at the Berkeley-based theater.

THE SOUND OF AMERICA Rock Musical to Make World Premiere at FringeArts in Philadelphia
by Stephi Wild - May 28, 2026

THE SOUND OF AMERICA, a rock musical reimagining Benjamin Franklin as America's first rock star, will have its world premiere at FringeArts in Philadelphia, with Roger Daltrey of The Who serving as Royal Governor.

1776 To Be Presented At Ann Arbor Civic Theatre
by A.A. Cristi - May 8, 2026

Ann Arbor Civic Theatre will present 1776, the Tony Award-winning musical about the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, at the Arthur Miller Theatre, featuring a cast of 26 actors in gender-inclusive roles.

FRANKLY BEN FRANKLIN World Premiere To Be Presented At Theatre in the Circle
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 24, 2026

Theatre in the Circle, a Judson Resident Theatre, will present Frankly Ben Franklin: A Musical Memoir, an engaging and imaginative musical that brings Benjamin Franklin's remarkable life to the stage.

Theatre in the Circle Will Present FRANKLY BEN FRANKLIN: A MUSICAL MEMOIR
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 15, 2026

Frankly Ben Franklin: A Musical Memoir will be presented by Theatre in the Circle in Cleveland. The production explores the life of Benjamin Franklin through music and memory. Performances will take place at the Judson Manor Ballroom.

Review: Raleigh Little Theatre's 1776
by Jeffrey Kare - Mar 29, 2026

1776 tells the true story of how the United States of America was born. We follow John Adams as he attempts to convince members of the Second Continental Congress to vote for American independence from the shackles of the British monarchy.

Feature: Three Actors, Three Productions of the Same Show, Same Historic Theatre
by Elliot Lanes - Mar 25, 2026

With the 250th birthday of our nation approaching this July 4th, Ford’s Theatre’s current attraction, the musical that tells the how the Declaration of Independence came to be, 1776 is indeed the best choice for this historic theatre to be presenting for the occasion. With a score by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone, 1776 ranks in my opinion as a perfect musical and there are only a handful of those.

Thalian Hall and Thalian Association Announce 1776: THE MUSICAL Leading Cast
by Gillian Blum - Feb 6, 2026

Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts and Thalian Association Community Theatre are proud to announce their co-production of 1776: The Musical, running March 13 through 15, 2026 at historic Thalian Hall.

Review: Bob O'Hare A Fine Music Man In WE TAKE THE TOWN at Don't Tell Mama
by Stephen Mosher - Jan 26, 2026

Delightful and charming Bob O'Hare manages to pack a New York cabaret room on a frosty night in the city.

The Growing Stage Opens 2025–2026 Season with DIARY OF A WIMPY KID and More
by A.A. Cristi - Sep 23, 2025

The Growing Stage in Netcong, NJ opens its 44th season with Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Cinderella: A Salsa Fairy Tale, Mesmerized: A Ben Franklin Science & History Mystery, and Nate the Great Musical.

Algonquin Arts Theatre Announces Casting and Creative Team for 1776
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 9, 2025

Algonquin Arts Theatre has announced the cast and creative team for its May musical, 1776. The show will run eight performances May 9-May 18, 2025.

Sonic Sunsets: Live Jazz in the Heart of History at Christ Church Burial Ground
by Emmy Rice - Apr 6, 2025

Beginning this May, Christ Church Burial Ground will come alive with Sonic Sunsets, a new live jazz series offering Philadelphians a chance to experience bold, boundary-pushing music in one of the city’s most iconic and historic settings.

How Often Do Broadway Musicals Tackle the Topic of War?
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - Mar 30, 2025

This time, the reader question was: How often do Broadway musicals tackle the topic of war? There are actually many musicals about war in the canon. The rare feat of Operation Mincemeat lies in its tone. The show is a fast-paced, zany, comedic take on a mission that used a dead body to mislead the Axis forces, leading to the successful Allied invasion of Sicily.

THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY Comes to Quintessence
by Stephi Wild - Mar 25, 2025

Pennsylvania history will come to life in The Return of Benjamin Lay by playwright, screenwriter and poet Naomi Wallace and University of Pittsburgh Distinguished Professor of Atlantic History, Marcus Rediker.