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  • 1.  All Female Cast of 1776 musical

    Posted 11-25-2015 14:01
    Want some input on doing 1776 with an all female cast.  Wondering about your approach to the production.  Know some companies that keep it period and others that made it more of a concert version with a neutral setting.  Would love to hear of your experience in staging it. 

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  • 2.  RE: All Female Cast of 1776 musical

    Posted 11-26-2015 06:21

    Although it sounds like an interesting experiment to try in a classroom/studio setting, just make certain that you receive full written permission from Music Theatre International (the licensing agents for the show) before staging a public production with such sweeping gender changes planned.  Many performance contracts prohibit such ventures.

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    David Montee
    Director Theatre Division
    Interlochen MI

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: All Female Cast of 1776 musical

    Posted 11-27-2015 22:51
    I did 1776 a few years back with all male cast wearing white tie and tails, holding the libretto in black binders, seated on benches.  Abigail and Martha were females and wore black dresses.  It was a smashing success.  I am just not seeing the Founding Fathers being portrayed by women; especially John Adams and his brilliant relationship with his wife Abigail.  Bending the genders on this could come across as silly.  It's a great show as written and conceived.  It's my personal feeling that you don't need to trifle with award-winning shows.  I would say if you did it with a female cast, they would need to be in men's period costumes, or it would be nonsensical, and the rental on period costumes is really expensive.
    Maria Baisier
    Holy Cross School
    Troupe 7553
    New Orleans, LA 70125 



    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: All Female Cast of 1776 musical

    Posted 11-26-2015 10:34

    Musical Theatre Heritage in Kansas City did an all-female version of 1776 a few years back. It was surprisingly commercially successful, although done in their usual concert-style setting.  However, it was costumed in period.  Their website is. Contact

    Musicaltheaterheritage remove preview
    Contact
    Music Supervisor Jeremy Watson is available for hire! For use of his services, please contact MTH! (816) 221-6987
    View this on Musicaltheaterheritage >

    Sarah Crawford was the director and her email contact is on the website.  

    Ben

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    Ben Martin
    Past Board Of Trustees
    Missouri Aliiance for Arts Education
    Lee's Summit MO

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: All Female Cast of 1776 musical

    Posted 11-26-2015 16:35

    Our production team has discussed this idea.  Aside from getting permission from MTI and the authors, my question for our team and for you would be how does this impact the material? Does it make it a statement about women?  Does it make a statement about the people who did this work?  HAMILTON had specific reasons for the casting decisions that went hand in hand with the theme.  Would this interpretation do that as well? Would the women play women or men?  And how do you deal with the two key relationships of Martha and Abigail?  I would be interested in your thoughts.

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    Marya Lucca-Thyberg
    Bellevue NE

    Original Message