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Ten Years of Poplar Forest's
1776
"One useless man is called a disgrace, two useless men are called a law firm, and three or more useless men become a Congress."
- John Adams, 1776
Before Hamilton took the world by storm with its contemporary approach to history, another playwright took a similar approach to a landmark event. 1776 is the musical dramatization of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. With a book by Peter Stone and music by Sherman Edwards, this show is filled with jaunty tunes and riveting dialogue that creates a thrilling experience for audiences (yes, history can be thrilling). The show is remarkably sophisticated, showing conflicting philosophies among the early colonies and how these politicians managed to come together despite seemingly insurmountable odds. Most importantly, the show manages to not place these men on pedestals. Melora Kordos, one of the prior directors of Poplar Forest's 1776 , explains, "[The show] doesn't deify the founders of the first Continential Congress. It gloriously displays all that characters' faults as well as their strengths."
1776 debuted on Broadway in 1969 and won the Tony award for Best Musical that same year. A film adaptation was released in 1972 starring William Daniels, reprising his role in the stage production as John Adams (and for the millennial generation, he later played Mr. Feeny in the television series Boy Meets World). It has since become a popular musical among community theatres and has enjoyed national tours and revivals, most recently in 2022 with a cast comprised of those identifying as females, transgender, and non-binary. In 1996, the show was produced at Cherry Tree Players in Lynchburg with many actors still seen onstage today. It hadn't been seen again in this area until 2014.
William Daniels as John Adams in 1972's 1776
Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Mary Massie is the Director of Programs and Education at Poplar Forest, and also happens to be a regular Lynchburg community theatre participant. "Poplar Forest is one of only two homes Thomas Jefferson designed for his personal use - he inherited the property in 1773 meaning he owned it when he wrote the Declaration of Independence." Being so close to Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest, it would seem to make sense to perform 1776 on the property. The idea actually stemmed from another historical visionary: William Shakespeare. "Endstation Theatre Company approached us in 2013 to be a venue for their production of [Shakespeare's] Cymbeline," says Massie says. "We had such a positive experience that it planted the seed for doing more theatre." In addition, an idea had been bounced around to do outdoor movies on-site, and the film version of 1776 seemed like a good fit. Instead, Poplar Forest meshed the two concepts together and decided to become the venue for the concert version of 1776.
Members of the original Poplar Forest cast of1776
2014
L-R: Jeff Price (as Benjamin Franklin), Aaron Sifford (as Thomas Jefferson), Karl Lindevaldsen (as John Adams), Tanya Anderson (as Abigail Adams)
Members of the last year's cast of Poplar Forest's 1776
2023
L-R: Jordan Wiley (as John Adams), Timothy McFadden (as Robert Livingston), Jay Lynn (as Benjamin Franklin), Steve Allen (as Roger Sherman), and Chris Shepard (as Thomas Jefferson)
Melora Kordos was the first director of 1776 in 2014. She recalls, "It was one of those magical things where all the right people who could actually make it happen were excited about the idea and greenlit the production." The first year was a one-night only performance and was expected to get a modest turnout. "[Instead], hundreds and hundreds of audience members came to that single performance," Kordos says. Poplar Forest wanted to continue the show in subsequent years with additional performances each year. People started coming in from surrounding states for the show and the audience has steadily grown each year. As the years progressed, each show has been adjusted and improved upon including elevating the actors on platforms and increasing the space on the lawn for the audience. When Kordos stepped down as director in 2019, John Holt stepped up and increased the production to the full libretto and a full 24-member cast. "By that point in my life, I had cut back on some of my out-of-town directing jobs," Holt says. "I really enjoyed the possibilities that the show had to offer." Outside of a COVID cancellation in 2020 and an issue getting rights during the national tour in 2022, the show is expected to perform every summer as long as there is a director, cast, musicians, and audiences.
1776 features many notable figures from American history besides Jefferson including Ben Franklin, John Hancock, and John Adams. Karl Lindevaldsen was the original John Adams in 2014 and continued in the role for six years. "It was a joy working with all the actors and knowing we were putting together something very special being performed at a very special place," Lindevaldsen remembers. He was also fortunate to perform with his son, Joshua Lindevaldsen, who played a soldier delivering messages from George Washington's war camp. "It was the first time I realized that my son would follow in my footsteps and be an actor," Lindevaldsen shares. "Singing 'Momma Look Sharp,' I could see how he connected with his character on a deep level and it moved me very much." Chris Evans played the role of the same soldier a few years later. "'Momma Look Sharp' relieved any issues or questions I had in telling our story - America's story. It was an honor to pay tribute to those unseen and not counted."
Richard Henry Lee assures Ben Franklin and John Adams that he will pursuade Virginia's House of Burgesses to vote for independence in "The Lees of Old Virginia"
2023
L-R: Jordan Wiley (as John Adams), Scott Rankins (as Henry Lee), Jay Lynn (as Benjamin Franklin)
As Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee, Scott Rankins is one of two actors to have performed in the same role since its inception (the other being Steve Allen as Roger Sherman). "Being a part in this historical show right in the backyard of Thomas Jefferson’s Bedford County plantation is personal-LEE very meaningful and inspirational," says Rankins. "Was I typecast? Perhaps! Except for the description of Lee as a 'tall, lanky Virginian,' what I personal-LEE lack in height, I try to make up with a large attitude and flamboyant gestures." Indeed, Rankins' musical number "The Lees of Old Virginia," sung with Ben Franklin and John Adams, is a highlight of the show each year.
Chris Shepard has been involved in 1776 since its first production in 2014, starting out as Andrew McNair and eventually becoming the resident Thomas Jefferson beginning in 2019. "Since Jefferson is famously not verbose off paper, I can watch and listen to everyone verbally duke it out in front of me until I interject with my Jeffersonian wisdom before sitting back down and enjoying the show," Shepard says. "In addition, the location of the show being at Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest is a nice bonus." Most actors agree that the backdrop provides a unique aspect as they tell this important story of American history.
Chris Shepard as Thomas Jefferson
Not only does the show follow historical men from the Continental Congress, but both Abigail Adams and Martha Jefferson make important appearances. Tanya Anderson played Abigail Adams from 2014 through 2021. "Abigail as a necessary character to soften John Adams," explains Anderson. "From the very beginning, he is genuine but abrasive and everyone in Congress hates him - he's a blow hard and he is insufferable. However, I think bringing Abigail in and bringing her in so early while the rest of Congress is yelling to him to shut down brings not only a lighter domestic side to his character, but also shows you that he is fairly progressive in the way he treats his family." John and Abigail's real life letters to each other are notable in their mutual wisdom and admiration for one another, which is touched upon in the show. "Abigail Adams actually had a wonderful line and a letter to John where she asks him to remember the ladies. I think that would have been a lovely addition to something in the show," says Anderson.
The only three cast members to have performed in both the Poplar Forest 1776 and the 1996 production of 1776 at Cherry Tree Players
L-R: Bill Bodine (as John Hancock), Steve Allen (as Roger Sherman), and Mark Foreman (as Ben Franklin)
"I have been a docent at Poplar Forest for over twenty-five years, so the location is special... The actors have changed, but the story they tell has been the same. It has been a privilege to work with so many talented actors."
- Steve Allen
One of the main focal points of 1776 is the issue of slavery. This is especially poignant with the show performed on the property of Thomas Jefferson, a slaveholder. "That dichotomy of Jefferson writing one of the most famous lines in American history - 'We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal' - while holding hundreds of people in bondage is one of the most fascinating aspects of American history," says Massie. "After the document was written, a major objection from southern colonies was his criticism of slavery and it had to be struck from the document in order to get independence declared unanimously. Showcasing that facet of the creation of the quintessential founding document of America at a site where he held people in enslavement is what makes our production so unique." Lindevaldsen recalls his time as John Adams when the play approached the topic of slavery in Adams' quest for independence. "Adams saying 'If we give in on this issue [slavery], posterity will never forgive us' was a line that hit me harder and harder each year. In my last year, I actually felt sick as Adams loses that battle."
Over the years, 1776 has enjoyed many successes, but it hasn't been without its challenges. Being such a male-heavy cast, the production team realized early on that it had to be open to casting women in male roles. In 2016, Libby Gatzke was the first female to be cast in a traditionally male role. "When the cast list was posted that year, I jokingly comment about one day getting casted; instead, Melora Kordos reached out to me and said she a spot to fill. The next thing I know, I'm playing Stephen Hopkins, a drunk delegate from Rhode Island!" After a few years off, Gatzke returned in the role of Robert Livingston, and is currently playing John Dickinson. Director John Holt is committed to genderblind casting, resulting in a fair amount of women playing the roles of men. Don't let their real life genders fool you - these women lose themselves in these historical characters and the production maintains much historical accuracy (outside of bursting into song at Independence Hall).
Libby Gatzke as Stephen Hopkins
2016
It's still live theatre, and outdoor theatre at that, so you may catch a surprise or two when you attend the show. Scott Rankins shares a memory of the year when Mark Foreman's pants fell down during a dance and caused Rankins to have to leave the stage without bursting into giggles. "I marched off stage during the song break and told the stage managers, 'Ben Franklin needs help! His pants fell down and God help me to get back on stage to sing without cracking up!'" Or the 2023 performance where a (literal) storm was brewing during the climax in the second act. "As if on cue, when John Hancock said, 'We are about to brave the storm on a skiff made of paper,' heavy drops of rain began to fall," Shepard says. "We kept going even as the rain began to fall until the deluge began! We had truly lived to the letter of the script that night." No performance is ever exactly the same, but it's always guaranteed to be a a fun and interesting night.
In recent years, every performance averages between 300-550 per night, making it one of the most wildly popular theatrical productions every year. "The cast and crew refer to 1776 as Camp Po Fo, which I love," Massie fondly shares. "There’s a sense of camaraderie especially for those who have done the show year to year and they welcome new cast members in so well." Kordos continues to have much affection for the show. "The dialogue is as sharp and witty as any Oscar Wilde play, and the songs uniquely capture the emotion and tone of characters and subject matter they're singing about. It's a jewel in the catalogue of American musicals."
1776 through the years
The show runs for three nights only on June 27, 28, 29 at 7:30pm each night. Tickets can be purchased on Poplar Forest's website at poplarforest.org, which can also be accessed via our website event page here. Tickets can also be purchased at the door the day of the performance. Remember to bring a picnic blanket or chair, and you can even back a picnic meal! No outside alcohol may be brought, but wine and beer will be available for purchase onsite.
"A second flood, a simple famine, plagues of locusts everywhere, or a cataclysmic earthquake, I'd accept with some despair. But no, You sent us Congress! Good God, Sir, was that fair?"
- John Adams, 1776