The Lamoille County Players has done the next-to-impossible for a community theater group:  they have cast a show that features 24—count ‘em, twenty-four—men!  That’s what happens when you attempt to put on a show that requires casting all ofAmerica’s Founding Fathers!  LCP’s production of 1776, the inspirational and witty musical about America's independence, will be held on October 2-5 and 9-12 at the historic Hyde Park Opera House.  Showtime is 7:00pm, except for the Sunday matinees at 2:00pm.   

American History blazes to life in this funny, insightful and compelling musical.  It’s the summer of 1776, and the American colonies are ready to declare independence…if only our founding fathers can agree to do it!  1776 follows John Adams (Stephen Whiteley of Stowe), Ben Franklin (Doug McGown of St. Johnsbury), and Thomas Jefferson (Josiah Pearsall of Burlington) as they attempt to convince the members of the second Continental Congress to vote for independence from Great Britian by signing the Declaration of Independence.  Just in time for our own national elections, 1776 reminds us how we Americans got the right to vote in the first place!

“Typically, trying to cast a regular show with only 8 or 10 men can be a headache!” says Director Dean Burnell of Johnson.  Many theater groups are scared off by a show like 1776 that needs so many men.  “Well,” notes Producer Mort Butler of Stowe, “the odds were also against us during the American Revolution, but we proved them wrong about that!”  

Burnell admits that LCP has gained a bit of a reputation for being able to enlist men in their shows.  “The last musical that Mort and I put together was Damn Yankees, a baseball musical that needed enough men for a baseball team,  and we cast that show!”  In fact, Damn Yankees needed 16 men, “and we got them all with very little arm-twisting,” jokes Butler.  Other recent LCP male-heavy shows include last summer’s How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying which had a baker’s dozen men and the well-remembered Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat which featured 18 men!  1776 leaves them all in the dust, with a remarkable 24 males cast!  “I’m still not sure how we did it!” exclaims Butler. 

Burnell is quick to remind, in the middle of all this talk about the many men, that there are two excellent female roles featured in the show as well.  Susan Evans of Burlington plays Abigail Adams, John’s patient wife, and Kristin Silverman of Colchester plays Martha Jefferson, Thomas’ lovely bride.