The 250^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence’s signing in Philadelphia will be celebrated through music and comedy as RiverStage Community Theatre presents the classic musical 1776 in Lewisburg.  Performances will be at Greenspace Center, 815 Market Street, Lewisburg on Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30pm on June 19, 20 and 27, a special 6:00pm performance on Friday June 26 to be followed with Lewisburg’s fireworks display, and two Sunday matinees at 2:30pm on June 21 and 28.  Tickets are just $15 for adults and $8 for students, with general admission seating, and they can be purchased at the door or at www.riverstagetheatre.org.  This production is supported by a generous grant from the Amer250PA Foundation.

1776, with book by Peter Stone and music & lyrics by Sherman Edwards, tells the story of the colorful characters and events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776.  The story follows John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and their allies as they fight to persuade their colleagues to vote for American independence and sign this legendary document.  The show uses some quotes and dialogue from authentic historic documents, but also uses entertaining songs and humor to affectionately portray all of the strengths, weaknesses, and human flaws and idiosyncracies of these well-known historic figures.  Featuring catchy songs like “Sit Down, John,” “The Lees of Old Virginia,” and “Momma Look Sharp,” the original Broadway production premiered on Broadway in 1969 and received three Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and it was adapted into a popular 1972 film starring William Daniels and Ken Howard.

“1776 is a musical that’s been suggested to us many times over the years,” said RiverStage board president Jove Graham, “and we finally thought, what better time to finally do it when our country will (hopefully) be celebrating the 250^th anniversary of that historic year.  This is a musical with a lot of fun songs that really delves into the different personalities and quirks of Adams, Franklin, and all of these people whom we know mostly from dry history books.  Before there was Hamilton, 1776 was Broadway’s first and foremost attempt at telling the stories of these characters and this important turning point in American history.  We know that audiences are going to have a great time and leave the theatre singing!”  Graham added that RiverStage was honored to be the recipient of a $10,000 competitive grant from the Amer250PA Foundation to support this production.  Graham also expressed excitement about welcoming back Ellen Boyer, musical and forensics director from Shikellamy Area High School, to RiverStage for the first time since she directed their very first musical in 2013, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  The show is directed by Ellen Boyer and produced by Graham.

Graham also noted that the Friday, June 26 performance has been scheduled at an earlier time, 6:00pm, so that the show will end in time for audiences to depart and enjoy the Lewisburg fireworks display presented as part of the Union County Veterans’ 4^th of July Celebration that night.

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