Richard Jacobson (Edward Rutledge) and the cast of “1776.” Photo courtesy of McLean Community Players.
Are you still looking to celebrate America’s 250th? There is no better way than being transported back to the signing of the Declaration of Independence itself. McLean Community Players’ production of the 1972 Tony Award-winning “1776” beautifully guides audiences to this iconic moment in history with a slightly modern twist.
McLean Community Players’ production…beautifully guides audiences to this iconic moment in history with a slightly modern twist.
Written by Peter Stone, with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards, “1776” recounts an integral congressional meeting in Philadelphia, where the other congressmen are once again hot on John Adams’ (Doug Marcks) tail for proposing independence (“Sit Down, John”). The days leading up to the July 4 vote on independence unfold before us. While we all know how it ends, the anticipation of getting there through lively debates still provides the necessary suspense for this lengthy, three-hour musical.
To tackle such a feat requires a strong creative team, expertly assembled by director Cody Boehm. Color was an important part of Boehm’s vision, with Sam Jensen’s thoughtful lighting design continually washing the stage in either red or blue. While the execution wasn’t always perfectly timed at my performance, the artistic intent was clear and added another compelling storytelling element.
The costumes continued the color story, with a majority of the colonies donning neutral tones while the Southern delegates sported shades of red. For example, Congressman John Dickinson (Michael Barret Jones), who (250-year-old spoiler) was firmly in favor of remaining under British rule, was dressed in purple, a color long associated with royalty. Major kudos to costume designer Elaina Reck for not only creating more than 20 period-accurate costumes, but using color to effectively tell us more about each character, their background, and their allegiances.
Not to be overlooked is the fantastic 14-piece orchestra led by music director Matthew Scarborough. From the very first note, the orchestra captivated the audience and was only elevated further by the cast’s gorgeous vocals.
In a true ensemble piece, Boehm and Scarborough gathered an outstanding company to bring this pivotal moment in history to life. While the Founding Fathers were, in fact, all men, Boehm allowed more women to take center stage by gender-bending many of the traditionally male roles—an inspired choice given that there are only two female characters written into the script. Sara Watson (Abigail Adams) and Hana Tawil (Martha Jefferson) beautifully brought these two “Founding Mothers” to life, with soaring soprano vocals showcased in Watson’s “Till Then” and Tawil’s “He Plays the Violin.” While these characters are written to be as memorable as women are in the Declaration of Independence, Watson and Tawil ensured their performances will not soon be forgotten.
In two of the gender-bent roles representing Virginia, Ariel Friendly shone as the energetic Richard Henry Lee, delivering an infectious-LEE upbeat performance of “The Lees of Old Virginia,” while Ashley Promisel excelled as the dryly sarcastic Thomas Jefferson. Loren Blinde as Dr. Lyman Hall and Emily Kennedy as Courier also delivered wonderfully dynamic performances, skillfully blending masculinity and femininity within their portrayals.
Not to give all the praise to the ladies, Brian Lyons-Burke delivered a nuanced performance as Benjamin Franklin, leaning into the historical traits audiences have come to know and love (he came this close to convincing us the turkey should have been America’s national bird). Barret Jones commanded the stage as the steadfast John Dickinson, an impressive feat considering many of his scenes are part of the full company. Then there is Richard Jacobson as South Carolina’s congressman, Edward Rutledge, whose performance should not be missed. Jacobson not only effortlessly mastered a convincing Carolina accent, but his vocals soared in “Molasses to Rum.” While his character has many, many faults, Jacobson’s performance had none.
If you’re looking to continue your patriotic summer, or simply want to get in the mood before “Hamilton” makes its way to the National Theatre, head to The Alden and support McLean Community Players’ production of “1776.” It’s a chance to see history come to life in a way you likely haven’t experienced before.
Running Time: Approximately three hours with one 15-minute intermission.
“1776” runs through August 2, 2026, presented by McLean Community Players at The Alden, 1234 Ingleside Avenue, McLean, VA 22101. For more information and to purchase tickets, please go online.
