Full Cast Announced for Pre-Broadway Run of 1776

American Repertory Theater's pre-Broadway staging of 1776, co-directed by Diane Paulus and Jeffrey L. Page, has announced its cast. The production, which begins performances at the Loeb Drama Center on May 17, opens on May 26 and will run in Cambridge, Massachusetts through July 24. It is set to bow at Broadway's American Airlines Theatre in September before embarking on a 16-city national tour in February 2023.

The 1776 cast includes the following performers who identify as female, non-binary and trans: Gisela Adisa as Robert Livingston, Nancy Anderson as George Read, Becca Ayers as Col. Thomas McKean, Tiffani Barbour as Andrew McNair, Allison Briner Dardenne as Stephen Hopkins, Allyson Kaye Daniel as Abigail Adams/Rev. Jonathan Witherspoon, Elizabeth A. Davis as Thomas Jefferson, Mehry Eslaminia as Charles Thomson, Joanna Glushak as John Dickinson, Shawna Hamic as Richard Henry Lee, Eryn LeCroy as Martha Jefferson/Dr. Lyman Hall, Crystal Lucas-Perry as John Adams, Liz Mikel as John Hancock, Patrena Murray as Benjamin Franklin, Oneika Phillips as Joseph Hewes, Lulu Picart as Samuel Chase, Sara Porkalob as Edward Rutledge, Sushma Saha as Judge James Wilson, Brooke Simpson as Roger Sherman, Salome Smith as the Courier, Sav Souza as Dr. Josiah Bartlett, Jill Vallery as Caesar Rodney as well as Grace Stockdale and Imani Pearl Williams as standbys.

They knew they would make history, but not what history would make of them. Fed up with living under the tyranny of British rule, John Adams attempts to persuade his fellow members of the Continental Congress to vote in favor of American Independence and sign the Declaration. But how much is he willing to compromise in the pursuit of freedom? And who does that freedom belong to? This new production of the Tony Award-winning musical reexamines this pivotal moment in American history with a cast that reflects multiple representations of race, gender and ethnicity.

“Jeffrey and I are fascinated by the idea that history isn’t the clear or linear story we read in our textbooks, but instead, a predicament that we must grapple with in order to understand our past so that we can move forward together,” said Paulus in a statement. “We make theater in collaboration to expand our point of view, and I’m so excited to continue this creative partnership with Jeffrey and to work with this extraordinary cast to bring this new production to our A.R.T. audience in Cambridge and beyond.”

The revival will feature choreography by Jeffrey L. Page, scenic design by Scott Pask, costume design by Emilio Sosa, lighting design by Jennifer Schriever, sound design by Jonathan Deans, projection design by David Bengali, hair and makeup design by Mia Neal, music supervision by David Chase and orchestrations by John Clancy.

1776 features music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone. It is based on a concept by Sherman Edwards.