Media Archive

Finding something new—and true—bring to a portrayal of historical figures as well-known as Thomas Jefferson and John Hancock is a challenge. But for the actors in the cross-gendered and racially diverse revival of the beloved musical “1776,” …history has proved a tool as well as a burden.

Mia Neal, the hair, wig and makeup designer who recently won an Oscar for her work on “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” is used to creating elaborate styles for dramatized characters. But in this vision of “1776,” keeping the actors aesthetically close to their own styles was important.

Sosa wanted to capture history in his costumes. At the same time, he wanted them to speak to the personalities of the performers and the complex legacy of both 1776 the year and “1776” the Broadway musical… “This isn’t a museum piece…It lives in the now even if we are telling the story of an event.”

A note from Sherman Edwards and Peter Stone about the writing of 1776.

Sara Martin, Editor in Chief of the Adams Papers Editorial Project at the Massachusetts Historical Society, on the lasting legacy of John and Abigail’s correspondence

One of A.R.T.’s core values is to lead with inquiry. This list features the production’s essential questions and some of the articles, books, and speeches that have inspired the cast and creative team in their work on this new production of 1776.

Read the full text of the first printing of the Declaration of Independence, as well as other versions and drafts of the document.