Steve Kraske talks with George Harter, Executive Director of Musical Theater Heritage, and others about the new production of 1776.By Up to Date
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/national/local-national-918464.mp3
Kansas City, MO – Sherman Edwards was a pop-song composer working in the Brill Building in New York. "See You In September" was his most well-known contribution. Until one day in 1966, when he announced he couldn't deal with rock songs anymore and walked out of the office, saying he had an idea for a musical he wanted to write.
For the next two and half years Edwards worked on the music and libretto for a musical about the debates and disagreements, the intrigue and compromises it took to get the second Continental Congress to sign a Declaration of Independence and break away from England. During preparations, the more experienced Peter Stone was hired to write the book while Edwards concentrated on music and lyrics. Stone's approach was to stick close to the actual events of those three stifling summer months in Philadelphia in 1776.
1776 opened on Broadway in March of 1969 and won the Tony Award for Best New Musical that year.
Musical Theater Heritage is now presenting an all-female version of 1776.
Musical Theater Heritage presents is production of 1776 through August 29 at the Off Center Theatre at Crown Center. For more information and tickets, visit http://www.musicaltheaterheritage.com/