CurtainUp
CurtainUp

The Internet Theater Magazine of Reviews, Features, Annotated Listings
HOME PAGE

SITE GUIDE

SEARCH


REVIEWS

REVIEW ARCHIVES

ADVERTISING AT CURTAINUP

FEATURES

NEWS
Etcetera and
Short Term Listings


LISTINGS
Broadway
Off-Broadway

NYC Restaurants

BOOKS and CDs

OTHER PLACES
Berkshires
London
California
New Jersey
DC
Philadelphia
Elsewhere

QUOTES

On TKTS

PLAYWRIGHTS' ALBUMS

LETTERS TO EDITOR

FILM

LINKS

MISCELLANEOUS
Free Updates
Masthead
Writing for Us

A CurtainUp New Jersey Review
1776


Molasses to rum to slaves
Who sail the ships back to Boston
Ladened with gold, see it gleam
Whose fortunes are made in the triangle trade
Hail slavery, the New England dream!
Mr. Adams, I give you a toast:
Hail Boston! Hail Charleston!
Who stinketh the most?

— (from the song "Molasses to Rum,") as sung by South Carolina Representative Edward Rutledge
1776 at Papermill Playhouse
Kerry O'Malley (Abigail Adams) and Don Stephenson (John Adams)
(Photo: Gerry Goodstein )
Perhaps hearing the famous quote "Those who would give up liberty for security deserve neither and will lose both," as spoken by Benjamin Franklin in the wonderful production of 1776, will reverberate in all of our minds long after we have left the theater. While many of us are still reeling in the wake of the former administration's blatant show of contempt for our nation's Constitution, we can proudly say today we have rather miraculously endured, and have embarked on a newly paved path that will re-validate the mission of those highly principled and brave men of 1776.

It's also good to remember that had there not been a bit of "fiddling around," between Thomas and Martha Jefferson, a certain decisive 1776 document proclaiming American independence would not have been written. Then again, perhaps it was really getting the indecisive Georgia representative Dr. Lyman Hall (Tom Treadwell) to make up his mind . . . but never mind. Those thoughts are meant to cross your mind as you enjoy 1776, that grandly patriotic musical pageant at the Paper Mill Playhouse.

The award-winning show that composer-lyricist Sherman Edwards and librettist Peter Stone wrote to commemorate the momentous, often tumultuous confrontations between some great and some not so great men immediately preceding the signing of the Declaration of Independence has been handsomely and stirringly staged by Gordon Greenberg.

This show is just in time to bolster and renew our faith in preserving through our duly elected representatives, the rights our forefather fought so diligently to establish. And fight they did — nay, rather bickered, browbeat, cajoled and coerced each other, those ferocious, determined men of the first Continental Congress. The show's collaborators imprinted memorable impressions on their two dozen or so illustrious historical participants. And with particular recognition going to the Paper Mill's excellent cast, more than enough of their amusing evocative and humanizing traits are visible to make the show much more than a merely reverential celebration of an historic event.

Interestingly, for such a successful musical, Edwards' score, although impressively conducted by Tom Helm, is not especially distinguished. Still, it conveys what is needed melodically and perceptively enough with conviction and vitality. Don Stephenson is ideal as the "obnoxious and disliked agitator," John Adams, a man whose overzealous personality is tempered best by his devoted, loving-in-absentia wife Abigail (Kerry O'Malley). It's no wonder Adams uses the self-confident, personality kid himself, Richard Henry Lee (Aaron Ramey) of Virginia, to formally introduce the controversial declaration.

Conrad John Schuck is a delight as that mischievous over-fed fossil and "inventor of the stove," Benjamin Franklin. The particularly strong male cast, including MacIntryre Dixon as the rum-loving (even at 10 o'clock in the morning) Hopkins of Rhode Island; James Barbour as Adams' nemesis, the handsome and arrogant pro-slavery advocate Rutledge of South Carolina; and Robert Cuccioli, Cuccioli, who may be everyone's favorite Jekyll and Hydeas the cynical pro-England Dickinson of Pennsylvania , represents the best in musical theatre ensemble performing. Cuccioli, who may be everyone's favorite Jekyll and Hyde, played Rutledge splendidly at the Paper Mill Playhouse 21 years-ago. An imposing Barbour, who received a nomination from the Outer Critics Circle for his performance on Broadway this season in A Tale of Two Cities, causes the walls of the theatre to quake with the reverberations of his resounding baritone voice and dynamite performance.

The men are graced with the lovely presences of O'Malley and Lauren Kennedy, who, as a vivacious and pert Martha Jefferson gives "He Plays the Violin," all the innuendo it needs. Both have the advantage over the men of wearing costume designer Alejo Vietti's lovely 18th century frocks.

Right up to the inescapably emotional tableau vivant finale, 1776, although long and bravely talky, conveys with an appealing unpretentious sense of modesty (exemplified by Kevin Rupnik settings) those truths, that are in many a good musical such as this, self-evident.

1776
Music and Lyrics by Sherman Edwards
Book by Peter Stone
Directed by Gordon Greenberg
Cast: Nick Wyman (John Hancock), MacIntyre Dixon (Stephen Hopkins), Erick Buckley (Robert Livingston ), Conrad John Schuck (BenjaminFranklin), Robert Cuccioli (John Dickinson), James Coyle (Caesar Rodney), Aaron Ramey (Richard Henry Lee), Kevin Earley (Thomas Jefferson), James Barbour (Edward Rutledge), Tom Treadwell (Dr. Lyman Hall), Kerry O'Malley (Abigail Adams), Lauren Kennedy (Martha Jefferson), Griffin Mathews (Courier)
Scenic Design: Kevin Rupnik
Costume Design: Alejo Vietti
Lighting Design: Jeff Croiter
Sound Design: Randy Hansen Running Time: 2 hours 45 minutes including intermission
Paper Mill Playhouse, 3 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ
(973) 376 — 4343
Performances: Wednesdays at 7:30 PM; Thursdays at 2 and 7:30 PM; Fridays at 8 PM; Saturdays at 2 and 8 PM; Saturdays at 2 and 8 PM; Sundays at 2 and 7:30 PM.
($25 - $92)
Opened 04/19/09 Ends 05/17/09
Reviewed by Simon Saltzman based on performance 04/24/09
Musical Numbers
Act One
  • For God's Sake, John, Sit Down / John and The Congress
  • Piddle, Twiddle / John and Abigail
  • Till Then / John and Abigail
  • The Lees of Old Virginia /Lee, Franklin, John
  • But, Mr. Adams /John, Franklin, Jefferson, Sherman, Livingston
  • Yours, Yours, Yours / John and Abigail
  • He Plays the Violin / Martha, Franklin, John
  • Cool, Cool, Considerate Men / Dickinson and The Conservatives
  • Rutledge, Hewes, Wilson, Read, and Hall with Hancock and Thomson
  • Momma, Look Sharp /Courier with McNairand Leather Apron
Act Two
  • The Egg / Franklin, John and Jefferson
  • Molasses to Rum /Rutledge
  • Compliments / Abigail
  • Is Anybody There? /John


REVIEW FEEDBACK
Highlight one of the responses below and click "copy" or"CTRL+C"
  • I agree with the review of 1776
  • I disagree with the review of 1776
  • The review made me eager to see 1776
Click on the address link E-mail: esommer@curtainup.com
Paste the highlighted text into the subject line (CTRL+ V):

>Feel free to add detailed comments in the body of the email and state if you'd like your comments published in our letters section. . .also the names and emails of any friends to whom you'd like us to forward a copy of this review.

You can also contact us at Curtainup at Facebook or Curtainup at Twitter
a list of all book reviews, see our,
VALVESGate valvePRESSURE VALVESGlobe valveCHECK VALVES
Google
high pressure valve
manual valvevalvesvalve company motorized valveball valvepressure valve buy valvebutterfly valve Check valvereturn valve
Web    
www.curtainup.com
Try onlineseats.com for great seats to
Wicked
Jersey Boys
The Little Mermaid
Lion King
Shrek The Musical


a list of all book reviews, see our,
VALVESGate valvePRESSURE VALVESGlobe valveCHECK VALVES



South Pacific  Revival
South Pacific


In the Heights
In the Heights


Playbillyearbook
Playbill 2007-08 Yearbook


Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide
Leonard Maltin's 2008 Movie Guide


broadwaynewyork.com


The Broadway Theatre Archive>


amazon



©Copyright 2009, Elyse Sommer.
Information from this site may not be reproduced in print or online without specific permission from esommer@curtainup.com