University of Virginia Library

Stage

'1776': Choreography For The Hell Of It

By Steve Wells
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

(Mr. Wells, who is currently on a
three week leave of absence from
the University, travelled to Norfolk
last weekend to see the production
of "1776" which the Artists' Series
will present in University Hall on
Monday evening, so his review
could appear prior to the musical's
single performance here.)

Those members of the
University community who will be
in University Hall Monday evening
when the Artists' Series presents
"1776" may consider themselves
among the most fortunate people in
Charlottesville, for they will be
seeing a more than competent
production of a musical which is
distinguished, handsome, hilarious,
dramatic, and perhaps even
important.

Yes, important. Important
because it relates what could just
possibly be the second greatest
story ever told: the story of the
signing of the Declaration of
Independence, a story which has a
bearing on every American. It is
told in a charming manner, with
song accentuating the action not at
regular intervals, but only when
appropriate. "1776" is anything
but a "formula" musical.

Peter Stone's libretto is one of
the best musical books ever written
and is unquestionably the show's
strongest asset. What makes "1776"
such an outstanding achievement is
that Mr. Stone has presented John
Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas
Jefferson, and the other members
of the Second Continental Congress
as human beings with human
tendencies. He has given personality
to what were previously only
history-book characters. There is no
stuffiness in Mr. Stone's treatment.
The dialogue the characters speak is
uninhibited and, therefore, the
characters come to life as real
people.

Mr. Stone's book is loaded with
entertaining conversation and
priceless laugh lines. Yet it is also
informative, a rewarding history
lesson which most everyone needs.
And, finally, it is often poignant, I
defy anyone to sit through the final
scene, in which the actual signing of
the Declaration takes place,
without a chill running up his spine.
It is a great moment, beautifully
presented. I think only in a musical
could all of these goals be so well
realized.

The man who conceived "1776"
is Sherman Edwards, who also
wrote the music and lyrics. An
original criticism which I made

when I first saw the show in New
York a year and a half ago was that
the score leaves something to be
desired. I still don't view it as a
great score and it is true that it has
produced no hit tunes (which is
partly due to the fact that most
every number is too closely related
to plot or character to have any
meaning out of context), but, after
having listened to it many times in
the last eighteen months I now
think it serves its function quite
admirably.

The production is uncommonly
good for a bus-and-truck company.
Gordon Hunt's staging, which is
fashioned to a large degree after
Peter Hunt's staging of the
Broadway version, is clean and
razor sharp. The action moves ever
so swiftly and each scene flows into
the next one with fluidity and
grace. I am not sure that the
insertion of an intermission is
particularly beneficial (the authors
did not originally intend for the
show to be interrupted), but then
concessionaires have to make a
living somehow.

As John Adams, the
conservative Bostonian and
minority leader in favor of
Independence, Don Perkins doesn't
seem quite forceful enough in the
first two scenes, but he settles into
the role surprisingly well and, in the
main, offers a strong
characterization of the musical's
central figure. He successfully
portrays Adams as "obnoxious and
disliked" in the eyes of the
Congress, while allowing us to look
upon him as a likeable, righteous
man who is dedicated to an
important cause. Mr. Perkins does a
truly fine job.

Of the others, Paul Tripp comes
across fairly well as the witty and
wily Ben Franklin, whose age and
gout don't prevent him from
appreciating the better things in
life, namely, the opposite sex.
William Jennings offers a humorous
portrait of Virginia's most famous
lever and part-time violin player
known as Thomas Jefferson while
Red Shelton adequately plays
Virginia's biggest egotist Richard
Henry Lee, whose one number
("The Lees of Old Virginia") is a
sure-fire audience pleaser.

Jerry Lanning's interpretation of
the anti-abolitionist South
Carolinian, Edward Rutledge, is no
less than excellent, as is Patrick
Hines' portrayal of the opposition
leader, John Dickinson of
Pennsylvania Tom Gorman has a
good time with his role of Stephen
"Ol' Grape 'N' Guts" Hopkins and
Ann Clements and Pat Gorman are
just fine as Abigail Adams and
Martha Jefferson, respectively. The
rest, too numerous to mention, all
handle their assignments with
aplomb.

"1776" is a musical of
distinction which seems happily at
home in Virginia. It provides an
evening of entertainment which will
make you want to stand up and
cheer.

(Tickets are still available for
"1776." For reservations phone
924-3329.)