Farmers Alley Theatre — West Michigan’s only year-round professional Equity Theater — opens its 9th season with the Tony-Winning historical musical, 1776. The play runs September 30th through October 16th at the Little Theatre (located on Western Michigan University’s East Campus at the corner of Oakland Drive and Oliver Lane). Perfectly timed around the presidential election and the popularity of the worldwide phenomenon Hamilton, 1776 is a “brilliant and remarkably moving piece of theatrical art.” (New York Post)
240 years ago our forefathers met in Philadelphia to declare independence from the British. But the story is much more dramatic and complex then one might think. Filled with humor, conflict, memorable songs and one of musical theatre’s finest scripts, see how John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin set about creating the world’s most famous document. 1776 also sheds light on our current political state and how much (or how little) politics have changed over the years.
Director Kathy Mulay (Cabaret, The Secret Garden) has a fresh, modern vision for the production and Music Director Marie McColley Kerstetter leads a fantastic team of singers and musicians. WMU Alum Peter Riopelle leads the cast as John Adams. Michigan natives Paul Hopper and Ryan Dooley join the cast as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, respectively. Chicago actor John Leen and Farmers Alley artistic director Jeremy Koch play Edward Rutledge and John Dickinson, who are in opposition with some of Adams’ beliefs.
The two female roles are played by award-winning actresses Denene Mulay Koch and Mary Teutsch as the spouses to Adams and Jefferson. The rest of the cast features a bevy of talented actors which include Michael Ray Helms, Hal Hobson, Steve Hodges, Fred Jacobs, Paul Kriner, Rich Madelung, Kaghen Miller, Michael Morrison, John Mulay, Dave Noyes, Brian Panse, Michael Perlongo, Lou Price, James Sanford, David Senecal, Kelly Short, Lucas Thomas, and Josh White.
Tickets are $35 on Fri/Sat/Sun and $30 on Thursdays. Get tickets here. Seniors 65 and above receive $2 off per ticket. Reservations can be made by calling the Box Office at 269.343.2727 or visiting www.farmersalleytheatre.com.
