Meet the Cast of 1776, Beginning Previews Tonight!

1776 begins previews on Broadway tonight, Friday, September 16, ahead of its official opening on Thursday, October 6, 2022. This is a limited engagement through Sunday, January 8, 2023 at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway (227 West 42nd Street).

What will it take to get two dozen powerfully passionate, exceedingly complicated, and all-too-human individuals to settle their differences, while they hold the very future of a nation in their hands? This Tony Award-winning Best Musical is tuneful, funny, and constantly surprising, especially in this revolutionary new production from directors Jeffrey L. Page and Diane Paulus. You may never think about our country-who we are and why-the same way again.

Meet the cast bringing this musical to life below!

Crystal Lucas-Perry (she/her)

(John Adams, Massachusetts)

Off-Broadway: A Bright Room Called Day (Zillah; Antonyo Award nomination), Ain't No Mo' (Passenger 5, Lucille Lortel Award), The Public Theater; Bull in a China Shop (Felicity), Lincoln Center Theater; Little Children Dream of God (Madison), Roundabout Theater. Regional: The Taming of the Shrew (Petruchio), Chicago Shakespeare Theater; A Sign of the Times (Tanya), Delaware Theatre Company. TV: "Law and Order: SVU" (Aneeka Coleman), "The Last O.G." (T'era). Film: Goodnight Mommy (Sandy Liddell), Amazon Studios; Frank and Azalee Austin (Azalee, Craft Acting Award). Education: MFA, Tisch Graduate Acting, New York University; BFA, Acting, Western Michigan University. Actors' Equity Association member. www.CrystalLucasPerry.com | Instagram@CrystalLucasPerry | Twitter@Crystal_LP.

Gisela Adisa (she/her)

(Robert Livingston, New York)

Broadway: Beautiful (Lucille), Sondheim. Regional: Shoebox Picnic (Odette), Alabama Shakespeare Festival; Lights Out (Eartha Kitt; Best Actress Nominations, Ovation and Barrymore), Geffen Playhouse and People's Light; Man of La Mancha (Aldonza, Best Actress Nomination, CT Critics Circle), Westport Country Playhouse; Once on This Island (Erzulie), Actors Theatre of Louisville. TV/Film: "Nanny" (Sundance Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic); "FBI," "Raising Kanan," "Jigsaw," "Pretty Little Liars," "Younger," "Ridley Jones." Education: BA, Drama, African Studies, Fordham. Actors' Equity Association member.

Nancy Anderson (she/her)

(George Read, Delaware)

Broadway: Sunset Boulevard (u/s Glenn Close), Wonderful Town, A Class Act. London: Kiss Me, Kate (Olivier Nomination). Tours: Kiss Me, Kate (Hayes Nomination), Doctor Dolittle. Off-Broadway: Lily Dare, Primary Stages; Yank!, York Theater; Fanny Hill (Drama Desk Nomination), Jolson & Co. (Drama Desk Nomination). Television: "The Gilded Age," "Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "The Other Two," "Madam Secretary," Kiss Me Kate CD: Ten Cents A Dance. Nancy is from Needham, MA. Actors' Equity Association member.

Becca Ayers (they/she)

(Col. Thomas McKean, Delaware)

Broadway: South Pacific, My Fair Lady, revivals at Lincoln Center; Addams Family, Avenue Q, Les Misérables (first revival original cast). Off-Broadway: Dear Evan Hansen, Dogfight, Giant, Sarah, Plain and Tall. They have songs on all streaming platforms under their name (Becca Ayers) and with their band, baby goes bang. BeccaAyers.com. Actors' Equity Association member.

Tiffani Barbour (she/her)

(Andrew McNair, Congressional Custodian)

is thrilled to be making history with this production of 1776. As a Baltimore native, she got her start at the Arena Players Inc. and continued her training at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Theater credits include: Mamma Mia!, North Shore Music Theater; How to Catch Creation, Baltimore Center Stage/Philadelphia Theater Company; Hit the Wall, Barrow Street Theater. TV/Film: "The Leftovers," Rabbit, Law and Order. tiffanibarbour.com. Actors' Equity Association member.

Carolee Carmello (she/her)

(John Dickinson, Pennsylvania)

has starred in 14 Broadway musicals and is a three-time Tony Award nominee for her portrayals of "Lucille Frank" in Parade, "Gabrielle" in Lestat, and "Aimee Semple MacPherson" in Scandalous. She recently delighted audiences across the United States as "Dolly Levi" in the national tour of Hello, Dolly! Her other Broadway roles include "Mae Tuck" in Tuck Everlasting, "Mrs. du Maurier" in Finding Neverland (Drama Desk Award nomination), "Mother Superior" in Sister Act, "Alice Beineke" in The Addams Family (Drama Desk & Outer Critics Circle Award nominations), "Donna" in Mamma Mia!, "Ms. Pennywise" in Urinetown, "Kate" in Kiss Me, Kate, "Marguerite" in The Scarlet Pimpernel, "Abigail Adams" in 1776, "Cordelia" in Falsettos, and "Oolie" in City of Angels. Off-Broadway, she starred in john & jen, Das Barbecü, I Can Get It For You Wholesale, Hello Again (Obie Award), A Class Act, The Vagina Monologues, Elegies, and as "Mrs. Lovett" in the critically acclaimed Sweeney Todd at New York's Barrow Street Theatre. Screen credits include "Dopesick," "Evil," "The Deuce," "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "The Good Fight," "Madam Secretary," "Smash," "Law and Order: SVU," "Frasier," "Ed," "Remember W.E.N.N." (SAG Award nomination), and "Indoor Boys" (2020 Indie Series Award for Best Supporting Actress). Her concert appearances have taken her across America and Europe, including engagements at Lincoln Center, Town Hall, and Carnegie Hall.

Allyson Kaye Daniel (she/her)

(Abigail Adams / Rev. Jonathan Witherspoon, New Jersey)

is originally from Washington, DC, where her love for music and theatre blossomed at the prestigious Duke Ellington School of the Arts. She attended Penn State, where she received her BFA in Musical Theatre. Allyson has worked all over the country at regional theatres, in TV/Film, taught elementary through high school music, and performed on several cruise lines and in New York City. She is very pleased to be living the life she's always wanted! Actors' Equity Association member.

Elizabeth A. Davis (she/her)

(Thomas Jefferson, Virginia)

A.R.T.: Once (Tony Award nomination), NYTW, Broadway. Select: John Doyle's Allegro (Drama Desk nomination); Buzz, Alabama Shakespeare Festival; Indecent, Center Theatre Group, Huntington Theatre Company; My Name's Not Indian Joe, Davenport; The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Caucasian Chalk Circle, Classic Stage Company; Zorba!, City Center; Rain, Old Globe; 39 Steps, New World Stages. TV: "Law & Order: SVU," "New Amsterdam," "Blue Bloods," "The Jim Gaffigan Show," "Taxi Brooklyn," "Fringe." Writing: The Apple Tree (album), Child(less) (play). Actors' Equity Association member.

Mehry Eslaminia (she/her)

(Charles Thomson, Secretary)

Regional: Twelfth Night, Appoggiatura, A Christmas Carol, Denver Center for Performing Arts; The Corpse Washer, Actors Theatre of Louisville; You Can't Take It With You, Noises Off, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Indiana Repertory Theatre/Syracuse Stage; Hamlet, Indianapolis Shakespeare Co; A Midsummer Night's Dream, Illinois Shakespeare Festival; The Happiest Song Plays Last, Curious Theater Co.; Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Guys and Dolls, Creede Repertory Theater. Actors' Equity Association member.

Joanna Glushak (she/her)

(Stephen Hopkins, Rhode Island)

A.R.T.: Gloria: A Life. Broadway: leading roles in War Paint, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Sunday in the Park with George, Les Misérables, Hairspray, The Sweet Smell of Success, Urinetown, Rags, Conversations with My Father, Welcome to the Club, After the Night and the Music. Tour: Finding Neverland, First National. Off-Broadway: Gloria: A Life, Daryl Roth Theatre. TV: "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," "Younger." Education/​Training: Yale School of Drama. JoannaGlushak.com.

Shawna Hamic (she/her)

(Richard Henry Lee, Virginia)

Broadway: The Last Ship (Mrs. Dees). Broadway National Tours: Les Misérables (Madame Thénardier), Kinky Boots (Trish). Off-Broadway: Miss You Like Hell, The Public Theater. Regional: My Paris, Goodspeed; Hello Dolly, Sacramento Music Circus; Twist, Alliance Theater. TV: "Orange is the New Black" (C.O. Ginger), "The Time Traveler's Wife" (Isabelle), "Halston" (Pat Ast), "Russian Doll" (Nurse Reba), "New Amsterdam" (Inmate Charly Yarborough). Film: BRUISED (Directed by Halle Berry). Actors' Equity Association member. Social Media: @ShawnaHamic & website: www.ShawnaHamic.com

Eryn LeCroy (she/her)

(Martha Jefferson / Dr. Lyman Hall, Georgia)

was most recently seen on Broadway as Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera. Off-Broadway: Sweeney Todd (Johanna), Barrow Street Theatre; Assassins, City Center Encores!. World Premiere: Sousatzka (Young Sousatzka). National Tour: Jekyll and Hyde (Emma Carew). Regional: Brigadoon (Pittsburgh CLO, Fiona). Eryn is a National YoungArts Foundation alumna and Presser Scholar. Education/Training: BM, Oklahoma City University. www.erynlecroy.com. Instagram: @erynlecroy. Actors' Equity Association member.

Liz Mikel (she/her)

(John Hancock, President of the Congress)

A.R.T.: O.P.C. Broadway: Lysistrata Jones (Hetaira). Off-Broadway: Lysistrata Jones, Transport Group; Fruit Trilogy, Abingdon Theatre. Regional: V to the Tenth (The Vagina Monologues), Louisiana Superdome; Spring Awakening, Theatre Under The Stars; Seussical, Hairspray, All Shook Up!, MUNY Theatre; Little Women (Marmie), Old Globe Theatre. International: Blind Lemon Blues, Forum Meyrin (Switzerland), Maison des Cultures du Monde (Paris, France). Resident Company Member, Dallas Theater Center. TV/Film: "Friday Night Lights" (Corrina Williams), Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, Get On Up!, Miss Juneteenth. Ten Chimneys Lunt Fontanne Fellow. Actors' Equity Association member.

Patrena Murray (she/her)

(Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania)

A.R.T.: Gloria: A Life, Father Comes Home from the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3). Other credits: Lemon Girls, La MaMa; Gloria: A Life, McCarter Theatre Center, Daryl Roth Theater; Men on Boats, Baltimore Center Stage; The Oresteia, Shakespeare Theatre Company; Masculinity Max, The Winter's Tale, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Public Theater; Venus, The Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World, Signature Theatre; Father Comes Home from the Wars (Parts 1,2 & 3), Mark Taper Forum. Film/TV: "New Amsterdam," Daddy, " The Sopranos," "Law & Order." Actors' Equity Association member.

Oneika Phillips (she/her)

(Joseph Hewes, North Carolina)

Broadway: FELA! (Production: Tony Award, Drama Desk nomination), Eugene O'Neill Theatre; Spongebob Squarepants (Production: Tony Award), Palace Theatre; Amazing Grace: The Musical, Nederlander Theatre; Violet (Asst. to Choreographer), American Airlines Theatre. West End: FELA!; West Side Story (Anita), Sadler's Wells. Off-Broadway: Black No More, Signature/The New Group. Tours: FELA! First and Second National, International; West Side Story (Anita), International. Dance: Forces of Nature Dance Theatre. Actors' Equity Association member.

Lulu Picart (she/her)

(Samuel Chase, Maryland)

National Tour: Rodger+Hammerstein's Cinderella. Off-Broadway: Disenchanted (Lortel nomination). Regional: Man of La Mancha, Westport Country Playhouse; Man of La Mancha, freeFall Theatre; 9 to 5, North Carolina Theatre; Wit, American Stage; Finding Nemo: the Musical, Walt Disney World. TV/Film: Going in Style, Frozen Blu-Ray, "Welcome to Flatch." Creative consultant: The Choir of Man, Norwegian Creative Studios, Walt Disney World. Podcast host: The Daily Happy, 10K Dollar Day. Education: BA, Political Science, Stetson University; MBA (Leadership Studies), University of South Florida. Actors' Equity Association member.

Sara Porkalob (she/they)

(Edward Rutledge, South Carolina)

A.R.T.: Dragon Mama (2019 Elliot Norton Awards for Best Original Script, Best Solo Performance); Dragon Lady. Sara Porkalob is an award-winning artist-activist, cultural worker, and creator of the Dragon Cycle, a trilogy of matrilineal musicals about her Filipino American gangster family, with one play for each generation built around a central female protagonist. Dragon Lady premiered at Intiman Theatre and was the recipient of three 2018 Gregory Awards (Outstanding Sound/Music Design, Outstanding Actress in a Musical, Outstanding Musical Production). Dragon Mama premiered at the A.R.T., which has commissioned the third play, Dragon Baby. saraporkalob.com, @sporkalob.

Sushma Saha (pronoun inclusive)

(Judge James Wilson, Pennsylvania)

Off-Broadway: Interstate, Theatre Row. Regional: 7 Minutes (English-language premiere), Waterwell; Girlfriend, The Drama League DirectorFest; Interstate, Mixed Blood Theatre (world premiere), development at MCC, NYSAF, NAMT, DGF Fellows Festival, Pride Plays, Playwrights Horizons; The Wolves, Actors Theatre of Louisville. Sushma is a queer South Asian-American artist who graduated with a BFA in musical theatre from Ithaca College. They won "Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role" at NYMF 2018. Instagram: @sushmasahahaha

Brooke Simpson (she/her)

(Roger Sherman, Connecticut)

is a powerhouse vocalist who is passionate about music, people, and her culture. Brooke is full-blooded Native American and is a member of the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe. Brooke has had the opportunity to work with artists including Miley Cyrus, Sia, Bishop Briggs, and more. She was a top three finalist on NBC's "The Voice" and even more recently was a top four finalist on "America's Got Talent!" Brooke has released multiple singles including "Little Bit Crazy," "Stick Like Honey," and her newest release, "Haliwa."

SALOME B. SMITH (she/her)

(Courier)

is originally from Birmingham, AL. Salome studied theater at Alabama State University, where she received a BFA and also studied Musical Theater at The Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where she received her MFA. She was last seen in the Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors and is so excited to be making her Broadway debut in the revival of 1776!

Sav Souza (they/them)

(Dr. Josiah Bartlett, New Hampshire)

Regional: Other World, Delaware Theatre Company; Lempicka, Williamstown Theatre Festival; The Elementary Spacetime Show, Playwrights Downtown; Falsettos, 11th Hour Theatre Company. Concerts: We Start In Manhattan: A New Queer Musical, The Green Room 42. Education: BFA, Musical Theatre, University of the Arts. Sav is also a musical theatre writer & lyricist, passionate about lifting up queer and trans stories. They are currently developing We Start In Manhattan: A New Queer Musical with their writing (and life) partner, Ariella Serur. Social media: @saaaavv. Actors' Equity Association member.

Jill Vallery (she/her)

(Caesar Rodney, Delaware)

Broadway: FELA! (Dance Captain) (Production: Tony Award, Drama Desk nomination, Astaire Award, ACCA Actors Equity Award), Eugene O'Neill Theatre. Off-Broadway: FELA! New Musical, 37 Arts Theatre; CULLUD WATTAH (Associate Movement Director), The Public Theater; LORDES (Choreographer), New Ohio Theatre. Regional: And My Name Ain't Peaches, Theatre Outlet. Tours: FELA! First and Second National, International. TV: "She Gotta Have It" (Jubilee Jones). Film: Lifted (Directed by Randall Dottin). Education/Training: The Ailey School; Anthony Abeson; Heidi Marshall. Actors' Equity Association member.

Ariella Serur (she/they)

(Standby)

made her A.R.T. debut in 1776. Regional: RENT, Redhouse Arts Center; Grand Concourse, Theatre Horizon; Gypsy, Hangar Theatre. Workshops: Queer Baby Jesus, Dixon Place; War Of The Worlds, The Rev Theatre Co. Concerts: We Start In Manhattan: A New Queer Musical, The Green Room 42. Education: Musical Theater B.F.A., Ithaca College. Ariella is also a writer and composer currently developing We Start In Manhattan: A New Queer Musical with their partner in writing and life (and fellow cast member!), Sav Souza.

Grace Stockdale (she/her)

(Standby)

is honored to be part of this truly extraordinary group of artists. Broadway credits include: Waitress (u/s Jenna). First National Tour (Original Companies): Kinky Boots (Nicola), Waitress (u/s Jenna, Dawn). Off-Broadway: Atomic (Mae), The Acorn Theatre; Songs For A New World (Woman 1), Radial Park. Grace is also an accomplished Photographer, and her continued work can be viewed at @songbirdstudionyc. For Nick, CGF, and the Stockdale/Anton Family.

Imani Pearl Williams (she/her)

(Standby)

Tours: Pretty Woman (Swing), Pippin (Ensemble, u/s Leading Player). Select Regional: Memphis (Ensemble, u/s Felicia), Footloose (Rusty). Other: Montréal Complètement Cirque (Vocalist). Huge thank you to ATB Talent, my mom, and all the folks in my life who make me feel safe, celebrated, and loved! @imanipearlz

Shelby Acosta (She/Her)

(Standby)

Broadway debut!!! Off-Broadway: Emojiland (The Duke on 42nd) Regional: Into The Woods (Zach Scott Theatre), Golden (NYC Workshop), Radiant Baby (NYC Workshop). A huge thank you to BEA, Camden Scifres, Kaitlin Hopkins and my Mom for her unwavering love and support. "Soy Una Mezcla" @_shelbyacosta_

Dawn L. Troupe (she/her)

(u/s Franklin/Adams/Hancock/McNair)

Broadway Debut! Off-Broadway: Moby Dick, Brothers ParaNormal, Anne of Green Gables, and more. Dawn has worked in theaters all over the country and in TV/Film. Dawn teaches theater and loves to write stories; one short will be filmed in 2023. Dawn is also mom to an incredible young man, Jeremy whose life brings light to her every waking moment.

Photo Credit: 1776