Forrest Theatre set for '1776' story of the Founding Fathers with a twist
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- If you loved the Broadway musical, 'Hamilton,' you'll want to see '1776.'
It tells the story of the Founding Fathers, but with a big twist.
'1776' is being staged at the Forrest Theatre, just blocks from where the history actually happened in Philadelphia.
The show focuses on the events leading up to the creation and signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Jeffrey Page, a University of the Arts alum, is co-directing the show with a multicultural cast of artists who identify as female, nonbinary or trans.
"It's a reimagining," says Page. "This is for people who are interested in going on a very imaginative journey of, what if?"
"What if we told the story through voices that weren't allowed in the room during this moment?" says actor Sav Souza. They play Dr. Josiah Bartlett of New Hampshire.
"The lead character of the show, John Adams, is being played by a Black woman," says Page.
"In 1776, literally, there were trans people," says Souza.
And so Souza says by putting their body in the story, "to me, it feels like an act of protest."
The show hit Broadway last fall and the Forrest Theatre is the first stop on its national tour.
"It makes us look at history through a very different and interesting lens," says Page who also choreographed the show.
It is the Broadway debut for Souza, who also graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
"I think that we've created something that is really special and really effective," says Souza. "And I hope that people will come and will feel seen."
While the show wrestles with the very foundation of our nation, it's also a musical comedy.
Page says the comedic moments in the play drive us into "a deeper kind of truth."
"I want Philadelphians to be proud," says Page. "We have the ability to jump inside of narratives and change them."
'1776' runs February 14-26 at the Forrest Theatre.
'1776' at Forrest Theatre | Tickets
1114 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
