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About 1776

It's the summer of 1776, and the nation is ready to declare independence... if only our founding fathers can agree to do it! 1776 follows John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia as they attempt to convince the members of the Second Continental Congress to vote for independence from the shackles of the British monarchy by signing the Declaration of Independence.

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NY Drama Critics Circle Award

1969 - Best Musical, Winner (1776)

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Tony® Award

1969 - Best Musical

1969 - Best Direction Of A Musical (Peter Hunt)

1969 - Best Performance By A Featured Actor In A Musical, Winner (Ronald Holgate)

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Since the original 1969 production, 1776 has been revived on Broadway twice (1998 and 2022), on top of receiving numerous regional productions.

 

In addition, 1776 received a film adaptation in 1972, with Hunt again directing and Stone writing the screenplay, as well as numerous original Broadway cast members reprising their respective roles onscreen.

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Book by

Peter Stone (1930-2003)

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  • Education: Bard College, Yale

  • The first writer to win the Tony, the Oscar and the Emmy

  • 15 Broadway productions to his credit

    • Received Tony Awards for his books to 1776, Woman Of The Year, The Will Rogers Follies and Titanic (all four also winning the Tony for Best Musical)

    • Adapted the book for the Tony winning revival of Annie Get Your Gun

  • Authored more than two dozen feature films

    • Won an Academy Award for his screenplay Father Goose

    • Won the Edgar (Mystery Writers of America Award) for his film Charade (remade in 2002)

    • Won the Christopher Award for the screen adaptation of his own musical, 1776

  • TV credits include the CBS series The Defenders (Emmy Award)

  • Served as President of The Dramatists Guild, the national society of playwrights, composers and lyricists, from 1981-1999

Music by

Sherman Edwards (1919-1989)

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  • Born in New York City

  • Education: New York University, Cornell​

  • Composer and lyricist best known for the songs of the 1969 Broadway hit 1776.

  • Worked with acclaimed bandleaders such as Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and Louis Armstrong

  • In addition to his work in music, he was also an actor and a dancer in several Broadway plays

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