n
by Rachel Helwig
ETCETERA EDITOR
With all the political back-stab
bing and uproar in the U. S. govern
ment these days, the Tony Award win
ning play “1776” can still draw crowds
to hear its musings about the turmoil
present in the birth of a nation.
The musical, which is being per
formed at the Koger Center for the
Arts tonight, offers students a chance
to see and hear what the Founding Fa
thers were thinking when they cre
ated the Declaration of Independence.
“1776” originally opened on
Broadway 30 years ago amid politi
cal turmoil. Richard Nixon, Vietnam
and the struggle for civil rights were
on the mind of almost every Ameri
can. Americans found themselves sep
arated by generation, race and polit
ical philosophy, and the simple word
“patriotism” had its meaning split in
two.
Then along came a theater piece
that dealt with the birth of the Unit
ed States in story and song. The play
portrays the Founding Fathers as re
al men, and our attempt to separate
from Great Britain, as a parliamen
tary argument waged with all the pas
sion, humor and articulation that re
al men can show.
The play wound up beating its ri
vals “Hair” and “Promises, Promis
es” for both the Tony and New York
Drama Critics Circle for best musi
Based on a book by Peter Stone
and with music by Sherman Edwards,
the show portrays the long, long as
sembly of the Second Continental
USC’s Koger Center for the
Arts presents “1776,” a Tony
Award-winning musical detail
Y.Vg the events surrounding the
meeting of the Second
Continental Congress.
Congress one spring and summer in
Philadelphia. It also accurately cre
ates a sense of the immediate envi
ronment of discomfort, personal con
flict and overriding frustration that
must have been present during those
long summer months.
The show addresses these issues
in an often corny but always enter
taining light, giving life to what is of
ten dryly covered in history classes.
Although there are often periods of
dialogue without song, Peter Stone
turns what is a potentially dry debate
into a pleasurable spectator sport.
According to Ron Peirson, di
rector of the Koger Center, says that
“It [“1776”] is a painless way to learn
history.”
“It’s a beautiful musical with glo
rious costumes and sets and a history
lesson,” and that encourages students
and residents to view this play, Pier
son said.
According to Pierson, many good
seats are still available for tonight’s
show, and students are encouraged to
take advantage of the student rush
tickets available before the show. Stu
dents can purchase tickets for $5 with
a student ID 30 minutes before the
show, and will receive “the next best
seats,” Pierson said. Show time is 7:30
p.m.