Tue 10/1 @ 7PM
The story of our Founding Fathers didn’t sound like riveting music theater material, at least not until Hamilton became a smash. But years earlier, in 1969, 1776 debuted on Broadway to great acclaim. It focused on the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration on Independence. It was a fairly big hit, running for three years and then made into a 1972 movie directed by Peter Hunt, and starring some of the same actors who performed on Broadway including Howard DaSilva as Benjamin Franklin, William Daniels as JohnAdams and Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson. Sherman Edwards, best known for the Johnny Mathis hit “Wonderful, Wonderful” and Elvis Presley’s “Flaming Star,” wrote the music and lyrics.
The film will be the next one taken on by The Musical Theater Project’s monthly Movies at Home series, returning after its summer break. TMTP artistic director Bill Rudman posts an intro on TMTP YouTune channel for you to watch to be tipped off on what to look for when you watch the film.
He says, “Maybe the most extraordinary thing about this musical – and critics pointed it out at the time – was that although everyone came into the theater knowing how the story would end, the debate kept audiences on the edge of their seats, in movie houses as well as on Broadway.”
Once you’ve watched the intro, watch the film available on YouTube, then join Bill and other musical theater buffs on Zoom to talk about it here. It’s free and open to all.