How well do you know 1776, the Tony Award-winning musical about the signing of the Declaration of Independence? Test your knowledge of this historical Broadway triumph that first debuted in 1969 and went on to inspire multiple revivals and a film adaptation. With music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a script by Peter Stone, 1776 shines a spotlight on key figures like John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson as they debate America’s future. Dive into the trivia and see what you’ve missed in this compelling retelling of America's birth.
Adaptations
- The musical was adapted into a film in 1972, broadening its reach beyond the theater audience.
Musical Composition
- The music and lyrics for 1776 were composed by Sherman Edwards, a pop songwriter with several top 10 hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
- The song 'Molasses to Rum' highlights the complex issues of slavery and the triangle trade, which were contentious topics during the American Revolution and the drafting of the Declaration of Independence.
Notable Tours
- 1776 has been revived on Broadway multiple times, with performances in 1997, a concert in 2016, and another Broadway revival in 2022.
Production Facts
- 1776 is a musical that debuted on Broadway in 1969 and went on to win three Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
- The book for the musical 1776 was written by Peter Stone, who helped create a narrative that showed the founding fathers as real people with conflicts and commitments.
- William Daniels starred as John Adams in the original 1969 Broadway production of 1776.
- The action of the musical 1776 is largely confined to Independence Hall and focuses on debates and personal conflicts among the delegates to the Second Continental Congress.
- In 2022, the Broadway revival of 1776 cast people who identify as female, trans, or non-binary in a move to bring diverse representation to the historical narrative of American independence.
- Peter Hunt directed the original Broadway production of 1776, which first opened at the 46th Street Theatre.
- The storyline of 1776 centers around John Adams, portrayed as an unpopular yet passionate advocate for American independence, and his efforts to persuade all 13 colonies to support the cause.
- The original Broadway production of '1776' ran for 1,217 performances before closing on February 13, 1972.
- Rex Everhart stepped in to replace Howard da Silva on the original Broadway cast recording after da Silva suffered a mild heart attack.
- Betty Buckley made her Broadway debut playing Martha Jefferson in '1776,' marking the beginning of her illustrious stage career.
- The resolution for independence passes unanimously in the musical, which dramatizes the actual historical event where the Lee Resolution was passed on July 2, 1776, leading to the United States declaring independence from Britain.
