Auditions for 1776 at the Erie Playhouse

Name: Auditions for 1776 at the Erie Playhouse
Start: 2026-03-22T18:30:00-04:00
End: 2026-03-22T20:00:00-04:00
Location: 13 W 10th St, Erie, PA, United States, Pennsylvania 16501

Schedule

Sun Mar 22 2026 at 06:30 pm to 08:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

13 W 10th St, Erie, PA, United States, Pennsylvania 16501 | Erie, PA

Auditions for the Erie Playhouse production of 1776 will be held on March 22 and 23 at 6:30 pm at the Erie Playhouse Rehearsal Hall at 1158 East 12th Street.
Actors are asked to arrive and to sign in within the first hour of the audition start time. All roles are available. The Erie Playhouse practices Color Conscious casting. All ethnicities and newcomers are especially welcomed. Crew and other volunteers are also needed for these events. Perusal scripts are available in the box office for 24 hrs. with a refundable $10 deposit. Questions? Please contact [email protected].
1776
Music and Lyrics by Sherman Edwards
Book by Peter Stone
Directed Richard Davis
Vocal direction by Devon Yates
Musical direction by Bruce Yates
Show dates: June, 12-13,18-21 and 25-28
Age Range: You must be at least 16 years old by the time of auditions.
All roles are open
Audition Requirements: Please prepare to sing a brief (32 measures) musical theatre song or similar style of your choosing. Please bring sheet music in the appropriate key or a karaoke track.. An accompanist will be provided. Also prepare a brief monologue no longer than 1 ½ minutes. There will not be a dance audition
Synopsis – It’s the summer of 1776, and the nation is ready to declare independence… if only our founding fathers can agree to do it! 1776 follows John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia as they attempt to convince the members of the Second Continental Congress to vote for independence from the shackles of the British monarchy by signing the Declaration of Independence.
ROLES IN 1776
Below is a break-down of the roles in 1776. The number listed in parentheses next to the character’s name is the approximate age of the character. Vocal range is listed after some character’s description. If no vocal range is specified, all vocal ranges will be considered.
John Hancock (39): President of the 1776 Continental Congress, John Hancock, put the first and largest signature on the Declaration of Independence.
Dr. Josiah Bartlett (46): A New Hampshire delegate, Dr. Josiah Bartlett sides in favor of independence.
John Adams (41): A Massachusetts delegate, John Adams is the leading voice for separation from England and the Declaration of Independence. Unfortunately his tendency toward fiery rhetoric makes him generally disliked by other Congress members. Vocal range C4-F#4
Stephen Hopkins (70): A Rhode Island delegate, Stephen Hopkins is given to indulgence in alcoholic beverages. Vocal range C3-Eb4
Roger Sherman (55): A Connecticut delegate, Roger Sherman sides in favor of independence and is on the committee to write the Declaration. Vocal range Bb2-F4
Lewis Morris (50): A New York delegate, Lewis Morris abstains from the original vote.
Robert Livingston (30): A New York delegate, Robert Livingston is a member of the committee assigned to write the Declaration.
Reverend John Witherspoon (53): A New Jersey delegate, the Reverend John Witherspoon, argues for, and wins, the inclusion of the Supreme Being in the Declaration.
Benjamin Franklin (60-70): A Pennsylvania delegate, Benjamin Franklin is urbane and cool-headed. His logic often prevails where the emotions of others fail. He and Adams lead the charge for independence. Vocal range Ab2- Eb2
John Dickinson (44): A Pennsylvania delegate, John Dickinson leads a group of Congress members who favor petitioning King George III with their grievances rather than declaring independence from England. Vocal range A2-E4
James Wilson (33): A Pennsylvania delegate, James Wilson casts the final vote to approve the Declaration, not because of his own belief in the cause, but because he does not want to be remembered in history as “the man who prevented American independence.”
Caesar Rodney (48): A Delaware delegate, Caesar Rodney works hard for independence, despite the fact that he is suffering from skin cancer.
Colonel Thomas McKean (42): A Delaware delegate, Colonel Thomas McKean is Scottish and very vocal. vocal Range top Eb4
George Read (43): A Delaware delegate, George Read is opposed to independence and sides with Dickinson.
Samuel Chase (35): A Maryland delegate, Samuel Chase always seems to be eating and is portly. He initially sides with Dickinson.
Richard Henry Lee (45): A Virginia delegate, Richard Henry Lee is selected to make the argument for independence to the Congress, as Adams is having little luck. Vocal Range C3-G4
Thomas Jefferson (33): A Virginia delegate, Thomas Jefferson, in spite of his many protests, is selected to pen the Declaration of Independence. Vocal rang C3-G4
Joseph Hewes (46): A North Carolina delegate, Joseph Hewes sides with Rutledge on the slavery issue, demanding the Declaration allow slavery.
Edward Rutledge (26): A South Carolina delegate, Edward Rutledge is opposed to the Declaration of Independence because of his passionate opposition to the document’s call for an end to slavery. Vocal range C3-A4
Dr. Lyman Hall (52): A Georgia delegate, Dr. Lyman Hall initially sides with Dickinson.
Charles Thompson (47): The secretary of the Congress.
Andrew McNair (50): The custodian and bell-ringer.
Abigail Adams (32): Wife of John Adams, her communications with John tell some of the story of the Declaration and much of the story of her and John’s love and life. Vocal Range Db4-F5
Martha Jefferson (27): The young and beautiful wife of Thomas Jefferson, Martha Jefferson is brought to Philadelphia to help dispel Jefferson’s writer’s block. Vocal range Bb3-D5
A Leather Apron: A leather worker.
A Painter: An artist who paints Benjamin Franklin’s portrait.
A Courier (15-20): A young messenger for Congress. Vocal Range C3-Db4