John Adams(Jeremy Hudson), Richard Henry Lee(Brett Ricci), and Benjamin Franklin(Joe Falocco) perform The Lees of Old Virginia in a rehearsal of Halifax Repertory Theatre's 1776. Photo by Rachel Mills
The cast of 1776 meets before their technical rehearsal at the Daytona Beach News Journal Center.
Ashley Ricci Garcia plays Abigail Adams in Tony Award winning musical 1776.
1776 the musical opens at the Daytona Beach News Journal Center Friday, June 27 at 7 p.m.
1776 the musical opens at the Daytona Beach News Journal Center Friday, June 27 at 7 p.m. Photo by Rachel Mills
Richard Henry Lee(Brett Ricci) dances while Benjamin Franklin(Joe Falocco) looks on. Photo by Rachel Mills
John Adams(Jeremy Hudson) and Richard Henry Lee(Brett Ricci)perform The Lees of Old Virginia in a rehearsal of Halifax Repertory Theatre's 1776. Photo by Rachel Mills
The Halifax Repertory Theatre’s production of the Tony Award winning musical “1776” opens this Friday, June 27, at the News Journal Center in Daytona Beach and runs every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday through July 5.
Husband and wife team, Jack Cook and Sandy Cook say the production was a long time coming.
“My husband (Jack Cook) was in the Marine Corps. And so he's always been really big on ‘1776,’” Executive Director Sandy Cook said.
Jack Cook who is the producer, director, and also plays the part of founding father John Dickinson, says that the musical has personal meaning to him.
“I have actually starred in a production of this show when I was in the seventh grade,” Jack Cook said. “My father actually directed it. He sadly passed away last year, so now he just has a better seat.”
Nathan Juliano, who plays John Hancock, also has a family memory associated with “1776.”
“My late uncle died a couple of years ago, but he would play this movie every Fourth of July. So this time of year we miss him a lot,” Juliano said.
The musical focuses on the events surrounding the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence. Historical figures John Adams and his wife, Abigail, play central roles, along with Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Hancock, and other members of the Continental Congress.
“It’s a slightly different take,” Jack Cook said. “It's going to be a lot funnier than people imagine because we're telling the story about these Founding Fathers like they were in true form. They were kind of the rock stars and the celebrities of their day. They were big personalities, they were loud.”
Ashley Ricci Garcia plays Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams. “This show just has a lot of heart,” Ricci Garcia said. “I'm getting goosebumps just talking about it; and I just love to embody powerful characters.”
“Congress started every morning by drinking rum at 9 in the morning," Jack Cook said. “So we're kind of being in keeping with that and keeping it nice and fun, but also bringing all the highfalutin drama. Lots of fighting and lots of battling, so if that's your thing, you're going to love it. We're having a great time with each other and we hope that's going to translate into the audience having a good time with us.”
For more info and tickets go to www.halifaxrep.com.
Show dates and times are as follows:
7 p.m. Friday, June 26
7 p.m. Saturday, June 27
2 p.m. Sunday, June 28
7 p.m. Friday, July 3
2 p.m. Saturday, July 4
2 p.m. Sunday, July 5
