1776 Plays Now Through March 13 at Ocean State Theatre

Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC), currently celebrating its fourth season in its state-of-the-art theatre in Warwick is proud to present the Tony Award-winning musical, about the birth of American Independence, 1776. Sponsored by SBR (Service By Referral), with additional underwriting provided by RadissonHotel Providence Airport, this uplifting, entertaining, patriotic musical will be presented at Ocean State Theatre now through March 13.

The seminal event in American history blazes to vivid life in the Broadway hit 1776. It's the summer of 1776, and the nation is ready to declare independence...if only our founding fathers can agree to do it! 1776 follows John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Richard Henry Lee and Thomas Jefferson as they attempt to convince the members of the second Continental Congress to vote for independence by signing the Declaration of Independence. This fast-paced, high-energy musical puts a human face on the pages of history as we see the men behind the national icons: proud, frightened, uncertain, irritable, sometimes petty, often charming, and ultimately noble figures, determined to do the right thing for a fledgling nation. 1776 is a compelling drama with a striking score by Sherman Edwards and a book written by the legendary craftsman, Peter Stone.

Directed and staged by Managing Producer Joel Kipper, who directed last season's production of The Last Five Years, with musical direction by Esther Zabinski, who music directed previous OSTC productions of The Addams Family, Into the Woods, Meet Me in St. Louis, My Fair Lady, Miracle on 34th Street and RENT, the cast includes stage and television actor, Lou Ursone, who is making his OSTC debut in the role of John Adams. His wife, Abigail, will be portrayed by Alison Mahoney, who was last seen with OSTC as Anna in The King and I. Roger Reed, who won rave reviews for his portrayal of Freddy in OSTC's My Fair Lady will play the role of Thomas Jefferson, with Sarah Elizabeth Pothier of Rumford, seen last season as Cinderella in Into the Woods and Esther in Meet Me in St. Louis, in the role of his wife, Martha. Mark S. Cartier of Bridgewater, MA, who has appeared with OSTC in Breaking Legs,Fools, Miracle on 34th Street, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, The Diary of Anne Frank and Meet Me in St. Louis returns in the role of Benjamin Franklin, New York actor, Ethan Paulini, seen in The Diary of Anne Frank, will portray Richard Henry Lee, and Christopher Swan, seen in Breaking Legs, Gypsy, Race, Legally Blonde, and The King and I, will play John Dickinson. Other local performers include Joshua Christensen of Warwick as Rev. Jonathan Witherspoon, Mike Daniels of Cranston as Samuel Chase, David Groccia of North Providence as Joseph Hewes,Aaron Dore from Fairhaven as Roger Sherman, JP Ferragamo of South Kingstown as Lewis Morris, Timothy Fineof North Kingstown as A Leather Apron, Tom Gleadow of Providence as Stephen Hopkins, Brad Kirton of Coventry as Col. Thomas McKean, Tommy Labanaris of Coventry as James Wilson, Daniel Larson of Smithfield as Charles Thomson, Kevin Patrick Martin of Cumberland as Dr. Lyman Hall, Jonathan Olivera of North Providence as Robert Livingston, Patrick Mark Saunders of East Providence as Andrew McNair, Fredric S. Scheffof East Greenwich as Josiah Bartlett and Grant Whitney of East Greenwich as the Courier.

1776 will be presented at Ocean State Theatre now through March 13. All performances will be held Wednesday (except March 2), Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm, with matinees on Thursdays (except March 10), Saturdays at 2:00 pm (except February 27 & March 5) and Sundays at 2:00 pm. Conducting Conversations Live!, a free post-show discussion hosted by WCRI's Mike Maino, will follow the 2pm performance on Sunday, February 28.The post show Piano Bar Series, hosted by Robert Miller, Jr., will continue following Friday and Saturday evening performances in the theatre's lobby on March 4, 5, 11 and 12.

The theatre is located at 1245 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick, RI. Tickets are $39 for preview performances and $39-$59 for all other performances. Discount rates for groups of 20 or more are available by calling (401) 921-1777 x112. $30 "Rush" tickets are available on a limited basis one hour prior to curtain on the day of the performance. Tickets are on sale at the box office Monday through Friday from 12 noon - 6:00 pm, Saturdays from 12 noon - 4:00 pm, and from 12 noon until curtain time on performance days. Tickets are also available online 24 hours a day at www.OceanStateTheatre.org and via telephone during normal box office hours by calling (401) 921-6800.

Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC) is a professional not-for-profit regional theatre whose mission is to preserve and pass on the tradition of live, professional theatre - including the American musical - and to pursue avenues of enrichment and education for the benefit of the state of Rhode Island and the surrounding region through the theatre arts. OSTC, which re-opened and ran the historic Theatre By The Sea in Matunuck, RI from 2007-2012 and began producing shows in Warwick, RI in 2012, is an IRS designated not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation.

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