The Illinois State University School of Theatre and Dance will present Peter Stone and Sherman Edwards’s 1776, opening March 3. Performances will be held in the Center for Performing Arts Theatre and will run through March 10.
Originally premiering on Broadway in 1969, 1776 was nominated for five Tony Awards, winning three including the award for Best Musical. 1776 follows John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Richard Henry Lee, and Thomas Jefferson as they create the Declaration of Independence and free the colonies from the tyranny of England.
“The determination, foresight, and courage of the founding fathers inspires me at every rehearsal,” said Director Lori Adams. “It is impossible to ignore the power of this nation and of Americans when John Adams in the second Act sings, ‘Through all the gloom, I see the ray of ravishing light and glory,’ an actual quote from a letter he wrote to his wife, Abigail Adams.”
Performances of 1776 are at 7:30 p.m. March 3-4 and March 7-10, with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 5. A special post-performance reception for alumni and friends will take place on March 5. All performances will take place at the Center for Performing Arts Theatre.
For tickets or information, contact the College of Fine Arts Box Office, located in the Illinois State University Center for the Performing Arts, open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, at (309) 438-2535, or purchase tickets online by visiting ticketmaster.com. Tickets are $17 for adults and $12 for students and seniors. Performance parking is available for free in the School Street Parking Deck in spots 250 and above, 400 W. Beaufort St., Normal.
