by Kimberly Harper
Before there was the Broadway smash hit “Hamilton,” there was “1776,” the Tony-award winning production about the signing of the Declaration of Independence. First produced in 1969, the show – I hesitate to call it a typical musical when there can be up to 30 minutes between songs – follows John Adams and the Second Continental Congress as they strive to compromise on independence (spoiler: they eventually sign the Declaration).
The subject matter, unfortunately, is dry, and the show drags in spots. However, this is solely the fault of the script. Ocean State Theatre Company consistently pulls strong talent, and this production is no exception – director Joel Kipper has an abundance of good actors on his hands. Lou Ursone is excellent in his role as John Adams, and his scenes playing off of wife Abigail (Alison Mahoney, one of the strongest voices in the production) add some necessary levity. In a smaller role, Tom Gleadow plays the drunken delegate Stephen Hopkins from Rhode Island to great audience reception. Sarah Pothier returns to OSTC as Martha Jefferson. Her song, “He Plays the Violin” is a welcome act one pick me up. And Mark Cartier, who plays Benjamin Franklin, makes the most of the fact that his character has been given the best lines in the show.
“..To call me [an Englishman] without those rights is like calling an ox a bull. He’s thankful for the honor, but he’d much rather have restored what’s rightfully his,” is but one of many slightly off color comebacks that pepper the show’s dialogue. If you’re looking to brush up on your 18th century insults, “1776” will serve as a good primer.
The show is light on musical numbers, but what it has is good. Several ensemble pieces feature strong harmonies not normally heard outside of Sondheim shows, and it’s a challenge the men take in stride. Some songs are more engaging than others, but that’s to be expected. And it’s a show that’s not shy about discussing some of the seamier aspects of American history . The second act song “Molasses to Rum,” sung by Joe DePietro as South Carolina delegate Edward Rutledge, discusses the north’s hand in “black slavery” and the imagery is at times very unsettling. In other moments, various delegates are torn between doing what they think is right and what their constituents want, humanizing them across the board.
Overall, “1776” is well cast, well sung and an entertaining look at the beginning of our nation. It’s a lesson in compromise, a look at the ideals we held as we prepared to fight for independence, and – perhaps most important -, it highlights the fact that you can move Congress from Philadelphia to Washington DC, change the names and the issues, and realize that some things will always stay the same.
“1776” runs through March 13 at Ocean State Theater Company, 1245 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick. Get your tickets to this living history lesson by calling 401-921-6800 or by visiting www.oceanstatetheatre.org. Prices range from $39 to $59, and schools are also encouraged to ask about student matinees.
Kimberly Harper is a freelance journalist and copy editor who loves the performing arts. A Connecticut transplant and former full time reporter, she earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Rhode Island, where she also studied theater. Since moving here she has worked with many community theaters throughout Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.
