ARROW ROCK, MO – The Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre presents 1776, July 4 through July 16, 2016.

The seminal event in American history blazes to vivid life in this most unconventional of Broadway hits. With quick-witted dialogue and a playful score, 1776 dramatizes the struggle in Philadelphia’s Second Continental Congress to declare independence. John Adams, the original innovator behind America’s Declaration of Independence, teams up with Benjamin Franklin, Richard Henry Lee, and Thomas Jefferson to battle those in Congress who oppose the movement to declare independence from England. Inspired by the letters and memoirs of America’s founding fathers, this classic, Tony Award-winning musical showcases the principles, pride and determination that influenced the birth of our nation.

The production features Harry Bouvy as John Adams, Whit Reichert as Benjamin Franklin, Michael McKenzie as John Dickinson, Michael Padgett as Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Foote as Edward Rutledge, Don Richard as Stephen Hopkins, Hannah Jane McMurray as Abigail Adams, Dakota Mackey-McGee as Martha Jefferson, Rob Langeder as Richard Henry Lee, Jeffrey C. Wolf as John Hancock, Elliot Peterson as James Wilson, Joseph Tudor as George Read,, Bill Baer as Caesar Rodney, James aNTHONY as Charles Thomson, Randy Shannon as Lewis Morris, Todd Berkich as Robert Livingston, Ed Hanson as Rev. John Witherspoon, Arthur Lazalde as Col. Thomas McKean, Jeffrey Zicker as Dr. Lyman Hall, Bob Bohon as Samuel Chase, Vince Lutterbie as Dr. Josiah Bartlett, Michael Brennan as Joseph Hewes,, Nollie Moore as Roger Sherman, Harold Hynick as Andrew McNair, Jacob Scott as the Courier, and COLE WALKER as the Leather Apron.

Making his Lyceum debut, Harry Bouvy plays John Adams. Bouvy most recently played Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady for Montana Shakespeare in the Parks. Other credits include Caucasian Chalk Circle (Yale Rep), Angels in America (Syracuse Stage) and four one-man shows: I Am My Own Wife, Chesapeake, Fully Committed and This Wonderful Life. He played Carmen Ghia and Leo Bloom in the national tour of The Producers (Helen Hayes nomination), Sir Robin in the Vegas Company of Spamalot, and Nathan Detroit in Guys & Dolls at Great Lakes Theater. For a year and a half, he played Hannibal Lecter and Dr. Chilton in the off-Broadway smash, Silence! The Musical, and can be heard on the original cast recording. Film and television credits include The Producers, “The Good Wife,” “Law & Order,” “Sex & The City.” Whit Reichert returns to the Lyceum playing Ben Franklin, a role he played in the Lyceum’s 2006 production. He was last seen during the 2013 Lyceum season in six different productions, the last one being Hank Williams: Lost Highway as Fred “Pap” Rose. Lyceum audiences will remember Whit’s memorable performances as J. B. Biggley in How To Succeed…, George Macmillan in Big, The Musical, Osgood Feilding in Sugar, Max in Sound Of Music, Grandpa in Meet Me In St. Louis and Al Lewis in The Sunshine Boys. Regionally, Whit has appeared in productions at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, The Shakespeare Festival, Stages, The Muny, St. Louis Actors’ Theatre, The Black Rep, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Casa Manana in Fort Worth, Kansas City Starlight, Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach, Cleveland Great Lakes Festival Theatre, The Little Theatre on the Square, and The B&B Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis.

Making his Lyceum debut, Michael Padgett plays Thomas Jefferson. Michael’s credits include the title role in Jekyll & Hyde (Broadway Theatre of Pitman; Broadway World Best Actor nom.), Ravenal in Show Boat (Media Theatre), Dashing Baritenor in Music of the Night (North Shore Musical Theatre), Escalus in Romeo & Juliet (Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival), and El Gallo in The Fantasticks (six productions). Also making her Lyceum debut, Hannah Jane McMurray plays Abagail Adams. McMurray’s credits include: Peter Pan 360 (National Tour), Love’s Labour’s Lost (Boomerang Theatre Co.), Death for Five Voices, The Hidden Sky (Prospect Theater Co.), My Way… (Smithtown PAC), The Miser (Piper Theater), and Les Misérables (Weston Playhouse). Returning to The Lyceum, Dakota Mackey-McGee plays Martha Jefferson. She is returning after two winters of playing Belle and Anne in Arrow Rock’s A Christmas Carol. Other roles at Arrow Rock include Fiddler on the Roof (Hodel), Steel Magnolias (Shelby), Murder is Announced (Julia), and Hank Williams Lost Highway (Waitress).

Playing the role of Edward Rutledge is Andrew Foote. Andrew was last seen at the Lyceum in 2015 as Luther Billis in South Pacific and Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, a role he has performed around the United States to much acclaim. Foote has toured nationally in Les Misérables, Ragtime, and Annie. Regional credits include Evita (Che) and Ragtime (Tateh) at the ZACH theatre, in Austin TX, South Pacific (Luther Billis) at the Gateway Playhouse in NY, Les Misérables (Jean Valjean and others), at The Palace Theatre in NH, Fireside Theatre in WI (2014 Broadwayworld.com award winner) Houston’s Theatre Under the Stars, Riverside Theatre in FL and Weathervane Theatre in NH. Mr. Foote will be seen in the upcoming production of Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame at the Sacramento Music Circus and The 2016/2017 Korean Company of Jekyll & Hyde. Returning to the Lyceum, Michael McKenzie plays John Adams’ chief antagonist, John Dickinson. Lyceum credits include Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady, And Then There Were None, Meet Me in St Louis, Fiddler on the Roof, and The Nerd. McKenzie has been seen on Broadway in Waiting in the Wings, The Man Who Came to Dinner and Eastern Standard. Film and Television credits include House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Blacklist, Law & Order, One Life to Live. Returning to the Lyceum for his ninth season, Jeffrey C. Wolf plays Congressional President, John Hancock. Earlier this season, Wolf played Nick Arnstein in Funny Girl and Mr. Sowerberry/Dr. Grimwig in Oliver!. His many Lyceum appearances also include King Arthur in Camelot C.K. Dexter Haven in The Philadelphia Story, Billy in Anything Goes and Carmen Ghia in The Producers.

New to The Lyceum, Rob Langeder plays Richard Henry Lee. Langeder’s New York credits include Rip Van Winkle in Rip! (Midtown International Theatre Festival), Broadway Revival (MAC Award), Any Place I Hang My Hat, and Undead In Hell’s Kitchen. U.S. Tour: Ritchie Valens in Buddy. Japan Tour: Prince in Cinderella. Don Richard returns to the Lyceum to play Stephen Hopkins. Don first appeared on The Lyceum stage in 1989 and was recently seen in the pivotal role of Fagin in Oliver!. Don was also seen during the 2015 Season as Thenardier in Les Misérables and Clem Rogers in The Will Rogers Follies. Broadway credits include the original casts of Jane Eyre, Urinetown and most recently, the revival of Side Show. For seven years, he toured America and Canada with Wicked, and also appeared in the national tour of Sunset Boulevard featuring Petula Clark. Arthur Lazalde, recently seen as Bill Sykes in Oliver, plays Col. Thomas McKean. Off-Broadway credits include The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd (Mint Theatre Company), and As You Like It (Harold Clurman Theatre Lab). Mr. Lazalde has also been seen in Lombardi (The Milwaukee Rep), Three Musketeers (Cape Fear Regional Theatre) Man of La Mancha (National Tour), Guys and Dolls (National Tour), Coriolanus (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), 1776 (Utah Shakespeare Festival), and Taming Of The Shrew, Measure For Measure, The Winter’s Tale, and Merry Wives of Windsor (Texas Shakespeare Festival)

Lyceum Producing Artistic Director, Quin Gresham, directs the production. During the 2015 season, Mr. Gresham directed Stand By Your Man and his adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Past directing credits at The Lyceum include Around the World in 80 Days, Cotton Patch Gospel, Love Letters (starring Tab Hunter and Joyce DeWitt), The Music Man, Camelot, To Kill A Mockingbird, Run For Your Wife, The Fantasticks, The Producers, Hairspray, Sleuth, West Side Story, Into the Woods, Tuesdays with Morrie, Dracula, Peter Pan and Driving Miss Daisy. After several stints as dance captain in various productions, Paula Danner is the choreographer for 1776. Paula’s Lyceum Theatre credits include Damn Yankees, The Music Man, Wizard of Oz, Funny Girl and both productions of A Christmas Carol.

Now in his 13th season, Lyceum Resident Musical director JAMES WOODLAND will serve as Musical Director and Conductor for 1776. James is the retired head of the BFA Acting Program at Missouri State University, and, in previous years, he was head of the Musical Theatre programs at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and the University of Miami. Professionally, James has musical directed at North Shore Music Theatre, Flat Rock Playhouse, Brian C. Smith’s Off-Broadway at 26th Street Theatre, Florida Shakespeare Theatre, Maryland Shakespeare Festival, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, and Stages St. Louis.

Scenic design is by Lyceum Theatre Resident Scenic Designer RYAN J. ZIRNGIBL. Mr. Zirngibl has designed many productions at the Lyceum including Les Miserables, A Christmas Carol, Around the World in 80 Days, The King and I, and Fiddler on the Roof. Returning to The Lyceum, Lighting Designer Matthew Wilson is currently the Technical Director and Theater Manager for The Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater at the West Side YMCA in New York. Costume Designer MOLLY AKIN-MCKINLEY is an alum of Mizzou, and currently attends The University of Alabama where she is pursuing her MFA in Theatre: Design and Production. Resident Sound Designer Ryan Matthew Hall returns for his eighth season where he has designed Les Miserables, The King and I, Spamalot, The Producers, To Kill A Mockingbird, Fiddler on the Roof, and many more. Tony Dearing returns for his 24th year as Production Stage Manager and Ivan Dario Cano serves as Assistant Stage Manager.

Single Tickets for 1776 are priced at $35.50 for adults. Senior, military, public safety, student and children discounts are available. Special Group Rates are available as well. Performances are July 4 – July 16, 2016, Evening performances are at 8pm and matinees are at 2pm. For tickets: www.lyceumtheatre.org, (660) 837-3311 x1, or in person at the Lyceum’s box office at 114 High Street, Arrow Rock, MO 65320.

The Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre is a non-profit 501(c)(3), professional theatre located in the unique village of Arrow Rock, Missouri, a 19th century National Historic Landmark. The Lyceum has been entertaining audiences in the heart of Missouri for 55 years producing a variety of musicals, dramas and comedies. Each year, this 408 seat theatre attracts professional talent from across the country to produce an eight show season (June-December). Performers, designers, directors, and technicians take residence in Arrow Rock for five months to bring its patrons Broadway caliber productions throughout the summer.

The Lyceum Theatre is affiliated with Actors’ Equity Association, the Union for Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States, and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.

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