Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Encores! powerful modern dress, color-blind 1776 makes a strong case for the musical’s relevance

• By drediman
• April 2, 2016
• No Comments

Last night, I caught a very fine revival of Sherman Edwards’ Tony-winning 1776 via New York City Center’s indispensable Encores! series. The musical, which had its Broadway premiere in 1969, chronicles the days leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Peter Stones’ book remains a marvel, creating suspense and tension when we know full well what the outcome will be. There’s an infamous 30-minute stretch in the first act during which not a single note of music is played or sung (which makes 1776 a seemingly odd choice for an Encores! treatment) – how well this scene is played is a barometer for how successful the overall production is.

Luckily, Garry Hynes directs the piece with the same kind of sensitivity and intelligence – particularly the mentioned book scenes – she’s brought to her Druid Theatre Company. Ms. Hynes’ modern dress, color-blind casting approach brings to the fore the relevance of piece for contemporary audiences, notably Congress’s seeming inability to get things done and a keen study on the psychology of the politician. By associating with the historical characters and events in a more accessible way and directly linking today’s politics and issues to the Founding Fathers, Ms. Hynes has unlocked a visceral immediacy to the piece I hadn’t experienced before. The immediately recognizable original orchestrations by Eddie Sauter were, as always, gorgeously serviced by the Encores! Orchestra under the musical direction of Ben Whiteley.

The cast is top-notch. In the leading role of John Adams, the casting of the relatively young Santino Fontana is an intriguing but ultimately terrific choice. Certainly, I’ve never seen a better sung John Adams (the more mature William Daniels, who barked the role, famously played the role in the original production and the film). And despite constant references to Adams being disliked, I couldn’t help but root for the naturally charismatic and dashing Mr. Fontana. As his fellow Congressmen, Mr. Fontana is given expert support by an experienced ensemble that includes the likes of John Larroquette, John Behlmann, Alexander Gemingnani, Bryce Pinkham, and Jubilant Sykes. Christiane Noll and Nikki Renée Daniels provided distinctive turns as the sole women in the cast.

(HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

1776
Off-Broadway, Musical
New York City Center Encores!
2 hours, 50 minutes (with one intermission)
Through April 2