A.C.T. Kicks Off 2013-14 Season with 1776 Tonight

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) kicks off its 2013-14 season with passionate (and patriotic) fireworks with the West Coast premiere of Tony Award-winning director Frank Galati's triumphant new staging of the musical 1776. A.C.T.'s production of 1776 runs tonight, September 11-October 6, 2013, at The Geary Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco). Tickets starting at $20, and are on sale now and may be purchased online at act-sf.org or by calling 415.749.2228.

In the spirit of the remarkable national political debates spurred on by the acclaimed film Lincoln, 1776 is a vivid musical look at the revolutionary events that shaped our republic more than 230 years ago as our founding fathers wrestled with infighting, held heated debates, and negotiated compromises while drafting our Declaration of Independence. Filled with glorious music and unforgettable characters, this incredible new production will include 15 Bay Area actors new to the production. Hailed by critics as "brilliant," "thrilling," and "utterly riveting," 1776 takes us on a timely, rousing, and suspenseful adventure into the fascinating first chapter of American history. When it premiered on Broadway in 1969, 1776 ran for more than 1,200 performances and was the recipient of three Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The New York Times called it "a cliff-hanging drama . . . as magical as a fairy tale," and Sarasota Magazine praised Galati's new production as "beautifully staged . . . exciting and suspenseful." As relevant today as it was when it was written, this musical features the songs "Sit Down, John," "Momma, Look Sharp," and "He Plays the Violin."

Says A.C.T. Artistic Director Carey Perloff: "In this era of bitterly partisan politics, we sometimes forget that our own treasured democracy nearly didn't make it out of the starting gate! This musical is an extraordinary look at the machinations and deal-making that Congress went through to arrive at the Declaration of Independence. Director Frank Galati has taken 1776 and created a production of astonishing immediacy and specificity, in which every move on the chess board is vivid and alive. When I saw the production in Sarasota, I felt sure it would play beautifully for Bay Area audiences, who love a good argument almost as much as they love a great song. Galati's 1776 has all of this and more-it is a truly literate, hilarious, and tough-minded play with music, deeply engaging whether you love arguing politics or are more interested in outsized personalities."

The cast of 1776 features John Hickok (John Adams), Abby Mueller (AbiGail Adams), Andrew Boyer (Benjamin Franklin), Ryan Drummond (Richard Henry Lee),Steve Hendrickson (Andrew McNair), Richard Farrell (Dr. Lyman Hall), Dan Hiatt (Stephen Hopkins), Jarrod Zimmerman (Edward Rutledge), Alex Shafer (Col. Thomas McKean), Jerry Lloyd (Caesar Rodney), Jeff Parker (John Dickinson), Bernard Balbot (James Wilson), Ian Simpson (John Hancock), Noel Anthony(Charles Thomson), Brandon Dahlquist (Thomas Jefferson), David Ledingham (Dr. Josiah Bartlett), Mark Farrell (George Read), Keith Pinto (Roger Sherman),Morgan MacKay (Lewis Morris), Colin Thomson (Samuel Chase), Benjamin Pither (Joseph Hewes), Ian Leonard (Reverend John Witherspoon), Dillon Heape(Robert Livingston), Andrea Prestinario (Martha Jefferson), Zach Kenney (The Courier), and Justin Travis Buchs (Leather Apron).

Music and lyrics for 1776 are by Sherman Edwards and the book is by Peter Stone. The creative team for A.C.T.'s production of 1776 includes Frank Galati(director), Peter Amster (choreography), Michael Rice (music director), Russell Metheny (scenic design), Mara Blumenfeld (costume design), Paul Miller(lighting design), and Kevin Kennedy (sound design).

A.C.T.'s production of 1776 is made possible by executive producers Rusty and Patti Rueff; producers Bruce Cozadd and Sharon Hoffman, David Steele, andSusan Van Wagner; and associate producers Paul Angelo and Andrew Dahlkemper.

A.C.T.'s 2013-14 season continues with the captivating solo drama Underneath the Lintel, starring Academy Award nominee David Strathairn; the Bay Area's favorite holiday tradition, the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol; a sumptuous production of George Bernard Shaw's political comedy Major Barbara; a hilarious new translation of Eduardo De Filippo's hilarious and poignant Italian comedy Napoli!; the Northern California premiere of David Ives's captivating cat-and-mouse drama, Venus in Fur; the West Coast premiere of Peter Brook's internationally acclaimed music-infused The Suit; and James Fenton's beautiful reinvention of The Orphan of Zhao, starring the inimitable stage and film star BD Wong.

A.C.T. subscribers enjoy incredible savings, unparalleled access, exclusive benefits, and personalized customer service. Subscriptions can be ordered via the A.C.T. subscriptions office by calling 415.749.2250 or online at www.act-sf.org/subscribe. Subscribers save as much as 33 percent off single-ticket prices. Full-time students, educators, and administrators with valid ID save up to 50 percent off select packages. Senior discounts are available for certain series. A.C.T.'s competitive subscriber benefits include free ticket exchanges up to the day of scheduled tickets, priority seating, ticket insurance, access to convenient prepaid parking one block away from the theater, and discounts for neighborhood restaurants.

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