CEDAR CITY — When rampant fires throughout the state prompted Rocky Mountain Power to issue power outages to nearby communities, it seemed opening night for 1776 at The Forge Center for the Arts in Cedar City would have to be put on hold. But the passion and tenacity of this burgeoning theatrical group proved its mettle when it was determined that in spite of the challenges, the show must go on.
And it did.
Using generators to operate only the most essential elements inside the recently renovated former Fiddler’s Canyon movie theater, audiences were greeted by the cast and crew milling about the foyer, passing out bottles of cold water, offering patrons the opportunity to exchange their tickets for another performance, while also welcoming them to stay for what they called “the most authentic” version of 1776 around. Authentic because, well, they didn’t have power back then either.
If the line of patrons stretching from the entrance to the interior theater, all the way to exterior doors of the building is any indication of the ground swell of support The Forge can expect for each of its shows, it bodes well for future success — especially when that line is filled with people willing to stay for the performance under difficult circumstances.
The unexpected situation pushed the start time back about 20 minutes, but as the audience settled into the surprisingly comfortable former movie theater seats and took in their first glimpse of the transformation of the space — a place that once showed blockbusters on a silver screen, now staged to appear as Independence Hall in Philadelphia — one actor pointed out we were witnessing “American ingenuity at work.” He wasn’t just talking about the extra cords lining the walkways to allow the generator to power the spotlights; in fact, the entire stage upon which the actors walked was built in just three weeks, and the set for this particular show was built in three days.
The decision by The Forge team to kick off its inaugural season with three separate musicals in the span of less than one month is a mind boggling one. Forge Center Board Member Kathy Heer joked that the decision was made because “We’re crazy!” Then she praised the unique and heroic efforts of the cast and crew who have been able to make the season work.
Not having seen High School Musical or Oklahoma, I can’t speak to whether or not the decision was wise on the whole. But even though I applaud the timing of presenting 1776 in the week leading up to America’s 250th anniversary of independence (seriously, why aren’t more theaters doing this show this year?), there were parts of the production that clearly needed a little more time before opening the curtain.
Still, the lack of electrical power notwithstanding, as the delegates to the Second Continental Congress took their places in the well-constructed staged version of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, it was difficult not to feel an emotional thrill. Although the audience knows the ultimate outcome of this congress — the signing of the Declaration of Independence — the process includes so many pitfalls and problems that even the most ardent history buff is left wondering at times if things will actually turn out as they should.
Written by Peter Stone, with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards, and under the direction of Ellen Wheeler at The Forge Center for the Arts, the storyline of 1776 focuses on the debates and arguments among the members of the Second Continental Congress as John Adams strives to unite a divided group in the cause for independence from England. The situation is fraught with disagreement on the issues of slavery, the ongoing war, and whether or not separating from England will ultimately serve each of the colonies well.
Among the challenges in presenting this story accurately for a fledgling theater company such as The Forge, the requisite casting of 20 men is certainly at the top of the list. It’s a daunting task for even a more established company and they were fortunate to assemble several men strong enough to fill the key roles, with a few exceptions.
The bulk of the weight of the show rested squarely on the shoulders of Andrew Briggs, who portrayed the character of John Adams. Briggs, like the real-life Adams of old, rose to the challenge before him with confidence and vigor. Whether in singing, acting, or light dancing, Briggs managed to carry the storyline from the opening argument to the final swipe of the feather pen. His efforts on numbers like “Piddle, Twiddle, and Resolve” and “Is Anybody There” showcased his strong vocals and excellent stage presence, yet it was when he was joined on stage by Abigail Adams, (played supremely by Holly Barrick), that the full measure of his skills were on display.
Barrick’s strong yet gentle depiction of Abigail Adams was another bright spot in the production overall. Whether pushing for “pins” over “saltpeter” in “Till Then,” or when she encouraged her husband via her letters in “Yours, Yours, Yours,” Barrick seemed to embody the kind of strength required of the real women behind these famous men and painted an excellent picture of Abigail’s vital a role in this historical tale.
Sara Barrett also turned in a stellar performance as Martha Jefferson. Her enchanting version of “He Plays the Violin” and her innocent responses to Franklin’s and Adams’ humorous, personal probes ranks her among the most positively memorable of the night.
Flanked on either side of Adams throughout much of the show were two more men who filled their roles with equal charm. Jay Christian as Benjamin Franklin, and Remington Comp as Thomas Jefferson, did very well creating a combination of camaraderie and occasional discord with Adams that bespeaks the historical accuracy of the script.
Philip Jensen stepped into the charming, if not overly arrogant, character of Richard Henry Lee, and did so with aplomb. His delightful antics in “The Lees of Old Virginia” and his overall confidence on stage made it sad when his character had to excuse himself from the congress to serve as the governor of Virginia instead, thus leaving the story only partway through.
Equal in passion for his role, though not as on target vocally, Hunter Stewart’s portrayal of South Carolina delegate Edward Rutledge proved to be a very moving one. His ardent speech in favor of slavery was extremely well done, and his heart was clearly in the role. But his performance of the heated “Molasses to Rum” needs a little more work to maintain a steady pitch. Similarly, the haunting lyrics of “Mamma, Look Sharp” sung by the young courier played by Jacob Rosengren, were heart-rending in the extreme, while still leaving room to improve on the overall enunciation.
The power came back on roughly one hour into the show, clearing the way of any more technical glitches related to that fact. However, there were several pauses in dialogue and overall clunkiness to the run that had nothing to do with the extenuating circumstances of the night, and everything to do with preparation.
When attending a new community theater, one generally expects some elements to fall short of the mark, and certainly there is an added measure of grace applied. But community theater or not, having the actors off book by opening night should be a given. Unfortunately, in this performance, for one character in particular, it wasn’t.
Richard Saunders’ portrayal of Pennsylvania delegate John Dickinson had the opportunity to shine a light on this pivotal historical character, who remained as the only dissension in the otherwise united vote for American independence. Unfortunately, Saunders literally held a paper in his hand throughout nearly all of his dialogue, pausing to refer to the lines written, and stumbling vocally across some of the key moments. In addition, cue cards were held by a fellow cast member off to the side of the stage to aid him in the lyrics of his song, and several times the entire production jolted to a halt while silence filled the space, until someone whispered a reminder that it was his line.
To be fair, Saunders was not the only actor to miss a cue on opening night, and various members of the cast took turns doing their best to cover the several bumps in that particular road. But when asked during intermission about the evident lack of memorization, Heer explained that the cast had only rehearsed the show six times, and only three with the entire cast. While that explains the lack of memorization, in does not explain why such a scant rehearsal schedule was set.
Much like the birth of a new nation, the birth of a new theater company can be messy at times and certainly has its ups and downs. Yet, the promise of great things to come for The Forge Center for the Arts are evident in the passion, support, and work ethic of those involved, and the heart with which the production of 1776 is told.
SHOW INFO: Don’t miss the chance to celebrate American’s 250th with the musical that tells the story of its birth in 1776 running through July 3rd, at The Forge Center for the Arts in Cedar City. For tickets and information go online to www.theforgearts.com