For those of you who missed my announcement [1] I am proud to have been selected to play Abigail Adams in the Theatix Productions show “1776.”
Friday night (5/4) was our first rehearsal. At most theaters that is called a read- through or table read. Basically everyone gets their script, you learn all the rules for the theater, talk about rehearsal dates and then read through the script together.
The group doing this show is fantastic. There is no feeling like walking into a room full of people and knowing, whether you like them or not, you are going to be spending A LOT of time with them.
The cast for 1776 is really unusual- there are over 20 men and only 2 women. Usually plays are a pretty good mix or tend to lean strongly the other direction. The night of read-through the only other female, who plays Martha Jefferson, couldn’t be there so it was a boys club for the evening.
We spent all night laughing. The guys were in great spirits. The youngest actor in the show is 17 and the oldest is in his 70’s so it is a great mix of ages and perspectives. And it is definitely a boys club- the jokes flew everywhere. The great thing is- it’s pretty easy to imagine the First Continental Congress was that way too.
[2]
Can’t you just picture Independence Hall? It’s REALLY hot outside and the guys inside are crabby having been away from their families for so long. They joke about their wives, their children and their hobbies. The south and the north gang up on each other regarding culture. (It’s like the very first argument of “pop” v “soda!”) And yet what do they call for over and over again in the heat? Rum.
It is comical how many times in the show these wise old men ask for their cups to be refilled. While a musical about the signing of the Declaration of Independence doesn’t sound funny the show is hilarious. We laughed so hard it took us much longer to read through the script then planned.
I am getting a break from rehearsals right now while the guys practice their big numbers but I will be back in the studio soon to work with “John Adams” on our lovely duets.
If you want to come and see it tickets are on sale now [3]! I would love to meet some of my readers at the show!