Casting Announced for Broadway-Bound 1776 at A.R.T.

The 1776 cast includes the following performers who identify as female, non-binary, and trans: Gisela Adisa (she/her) as Robert Livingston, delegate from New York, Nancy Anderson (she/her) as George Read, delegate from Delaware, Becca Ayers (she/they) as Col. Thomas McKean, delegate from Delaware, Tiffani Barbour (she/her) as the custodian, Andrew McNair, Allison Briner Dardenne (she/her) as Stephen Hopkins, delegate from Rhode Island, Allyson Kaye Daniel (she/her) as Abigail Adams / Rev. Jonathan Witherspoon, delegate from New Jersey, Elizabeth A. Davis (she/her) as Thomas Jefferson, delegate from Virginia, Mehry Eslaminia (she/her) as the secretary, Charles Thomson, Joanna Glushak (she/her) as John Dickinson, delegate from Pennsylvania, Shawna Hamic (she/her) as Richard Henry Lee, delegate from Virginia, Eryn LeCroy (she/her) as Martha Jefferson / Dr. Lyman Hall, delegate from Georgia, Crystal Lucas-Perry (she/her) as John Adams, delegate from Massachusetts, Liz Mikel (she/her) as John Hancock, President of the Second Continental Congress, Patrena Murray (she/her) as Benjamin Franklin, delegate from Pennsylvania, Oneika Phillips (she/her) as Joseph Hewes, delegate from North Carolina, Lulu Picart (she/her) as Samuel Chase, delegate from Maryland, Sara Porkalob (she/they) as Edward Rutledge, delegate from South Carolina, Sushma Saha (pronoun inclusive) as Judge James Wilson, delegate from Pennsylvania, Brooke Simpson (she/her) as Roger Sherman, delegate from Connecticut, Salome Smith (she/her) as the Courier, Sav Souza (they/them) as Dr. Josiah Bartlett, delegate from New Hampshire, Grace Stockdale (she/her) as a Standby, Jill Vallery (she/her) as Caesar Rodney, delegate from Delaware, Imani Pearl Williams (she/her) as a Standby

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Casting-Announced-for-Broadway-Bound-1776-at-American-Repertory-Theatre-20220408

Updated On: 4/8/22 at 09:17 AM

I've never been sure how I felt about this concept, but my son and I absolutely LOVE this and he's never seen a live production, only the film. We're just thrilled that we'll be able to finally see it in about a months time. (Going during their short preview time.) Now I "only" have to worry about a covid hit/cancellation.

An intriguing concept and could be great, though I was kind of hoping for a more interesting-on-paper cast.

QueenAlice said: "A great cast, though I must confess my feeling that this concept, which sounded fresh pre-Covid, feels a lot more derivative now."

100%

Tag said: "QueenAlice said: "A great cast, though I must confess my feeling that this concept, which sounded fresh pre-Covid, feels a lot more derivative now."

It's like the fad of actors playing instruments onstage. Got old quick."

it does get old quick.

but it also gives an opportunity for actors to play roles they would otherwise not get to play via traditional casting practices.

I really fail to see how this casting is the status quo now. We have the gender swapped Company, sure. And we have Amber Gray playing a gender swapped Banquo in Macbeth. Everything else on Broadway is pretty much "traditional casting" in terms of gender.

I'm excited to see how these performers take on roles they normally wouldn't have the chance to play and see how their interpretation differs (or not) from the standard presentation of the material.

BritCrit said: "However, the passage of time is affecting the production in other ways - Can it avoid the BLM related wave of criticism that affected Hamilton in Summer 2020? Although 1776 had a sharper critique of the compromises that led to slavery being preserved, it can still be seem as promoting a mythologized view of Founding Fathers who many millennial theatregoers regard with increased hostility.."

I think 1776 is far more critical of flaws of these people, and I also think this casting will humanize the "characters" instead of mythologizing them which is exactly what will make this play feel accessible and fresh to today's audience. I am watching it in Cambridge in May, can't wait!

Interesting that a casting decision has been described as both "gimmicky" and "status quo" in the same thread. I think because these kinds of casting decisions make headlines, we forget that (a) they are still not the norm at all and (b) they're still a relatively new phenomenon. All of the inequities that led to these decisions are still very much in force throughout the theatre industry, and these kinds of productions are only helping to move those inequities forward. We're past the point of it being novel, but not yet at the point where women and GNC people have access to the same opportunities as others, so surely we can still find space to support these productions.

Updated On: 4/8/22 at 02:28 PM

Square Peg2 -

If I lived in NYC and could afford tickets to a Broadway show right now, I would totally see it. I've loved this show since seeing the 1998 revival...oh my God, almost twenty-four years ago. I'm just saying that as someone who is old enough to have been around then, I'm making the observation that casting across the theatre industry has become very progressive in comparison to how it once was, and gender-conscious/color-conscious casting has been common practice for at least a decade.

During the COVID "pause" there was a lot of calling out for theatre to "do better," and it is - which is great. I think it is also worth observing that this production is "cashing in" on current race and gender politics in the same way that say Dear Evan Hansen is cashing in on the teen mental health crisis created by social media. I'm just kinda like, "Well played, producers. Well played."

I’m looking forward to see how this goes. Will I pay to see it? Hell No

For me it's more that Diane Paulus is directing and after hearing about the breakdowns at Witness Uganda and Jagged Little Pill, I'm concerned about how people are going to be treated backstage. That's the part that feels performative if mishandled again.

veronicamae said: "I can't help but wonder how many people commenting that this is boring or unnecessary casting are white cis men.”



I’m surprised it took a full 24 hours for someone to play that card. Yes, I am a cis white man. And no, I did not say it was “boring and unnecessary.” Please read what I wrote.

Actually, I was planning on directing a race/gender-conscious 1776 myself at my school but it got cancelled by COVID. As I said, it would’ve been a cool thing to do two years ago. Now it’s cool, just…not as revolutionary as it would have been had their initial production not also been cancelled by COVID. So yeah…I actually had this same idea at the same time Diane Paulus did… And it’s not even an original idea. Google around and you will find plenty of all female or gender and race-conscious 1776 productions. So yes, the gimmick was old even before radically inclusive casting became the new normal.

The Distinctive Baritone said: "veronicamae said: "I can't help but wonder how many people commenting that this is boring or unnecessary casting are white cis men.”



I’m surprised it took a full 24 hours for someone to play that card. Yes, I am a cis white man. And no, I did not say it was “boring and unnecessary.” Please read what I wrote.

Actually, I was planning on directing a race/gender-conscious 1776 myself at my school but it got cancelled by COVID. As I said, it would’ve been a cool thing to do two years ago. Now it’s cool, just…not as revolutionary as it would have been had their initial production not also been cancelled by COVID. So yeah…I actually had this same idea at the same time Diane Paulus did… And it’s not even an original idea. Google around and you will find plenty of all female or gender and race-conscious 1776 productions. So yes, the gimmick was old even before radically inclusive casting became the new normal."

Thank you for proving my point.

I'm not sure why it needs to be considered revolutionary or even original (congrats on thinking of doing it and then deciding not to give minorities their time in the spotlight in your production because you now think it's unoriginal) to do something. Why does it have to be the first time for it to make a difference in a very white male-driven industry?