Looking at '1776' and its Need for an All-White Cast
The cast of 1776 / Jason Niedle
As long-time readers know, 1776 is one of this publication’s favorite musicals for its blend of history and catchy showtunes. Never would I have dreamed that in 2021, I would have two musicals that spoke to the fantastic ideals that the revolutionary war represented, with Hamilton in addition to 1776.
Hamilton is, of course, a musical that represents, among other things, a way for BIPOC communities to celebrate the story of our nation’s founding. As we and many others have correctly noted, it should be told by BIPOC performers only.
But, if we are being consistent, 1776 should be performed by white performers only as well.
I know, you’re probably surprised by this, and frankly so am I.
It’s really not that big a leap when you think about it. We currently acknowledge that the ideal of race relations is not to be colorblind, but to see the unique qualities of each race, and the privileges and the systemic hurdles they face in society.
That logic dictates that Hamilton should be performed by BIPOC performers; otherwise, the meaning of the show as told from an immigrant’s POV is meaningless.
In that same vein, the 1776 musical also has a meaning that would be lost if performed by BIPOC members, especially in the second act.
What is that meaning? 1776, besides being a whimsical portrayal of the founding fathers, is a depiction of the birth of American politics, a.k.a. how to reach an agreement with those on issues of fundamental disagreement. It openly details the significant roadblocks of declaring independence, and the biggest roadblock is the issue of slavery.
The pivotal moment of the play is during the song “Molasses to Rum” when the founding fathers are confronted by their hypocrisy, condemning slavery while profiting from it, as sung by Edward Rutledge, a state legislator from South Carolina. It’s a haunting moment, where the musical takes the darkest turn from light-hearted to self-loathing.
There is no self-loathing from the audience if the founding fathers are played by BIPOC members. There is also no introspection from John Adams during “Molasses to Rum”, furiously fighting for freedom for his country, while realizing that he does not have a moral leg to stand on.
Some will say this is just one song, but let’s be real: there is no 1776 musical without this song and the moment. “Molasses to Rum” is the apex of the tension building up for the entire musical between the southern colonies and the northern colonies. The tension of the 2nd act is crucial to the play’s authenticity. A diverse casting breaks the wall of tension because it removes the believability of the situation.
So some of you may be saying “So What”; let’s also look at the bigger picture beyond “Molasses to Rum”. While it has some historical inaccuracies, it is aiming to be authentic to the times. The musical accurately represent the real obstacles that John Adams, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson faced in getting unanimous approval of the declaration of independence. Even putting aside the slavery issue, you had many white men like Dickinson who were winners under the current system of British rule. You lose something if these characters are played by BIPOC actors.
Even if you do what Hamilton did and have the villains (Dickinson and Rutledge) played by white actors, you lose one of the morals of the story, which is, two identical people of similar means come to different conclusions about the value of freedom to everyone.
Lastly, let’s take one more step back: the reality of the country’s founding was, the men in the room were all white, mostly landowners, making monumental decisions that would impact people of all colors and statuses. It is important in understanding the path of independence (even in a whimsical musical) that these were the type of men in charge of it. It explains why they did not abolish slavery in the declaration, and explains why it was such a big friggin deal to even get unanimous approval in the first place.
We must understand part of the reason of the early trajectory of our nation was there was no one in that hot, sweaty room in Philadelphia besides white men.
It also, however, does not mean that the values espoused in the Declaration of Independence were worthless. On the contrary, it is the ideals that are the backbone of the principle of racial justice and equity. Principles of freedom and justice can come from anywhere, even if it’s a room of white men.
Do we think diverse 1776 productions should be boycotted?
No. After all, we are still a free country. But, in this new age of understanding the origin story of our country, it’s better to get the context as right as possible considering what the story is purporting to be, even in a musical. If you’re considering a production of 1776 for your theater, we believe you should keep to the original intent of casting for maximum impact on the audience.
The beauty of our time is, we now have an origin story of America to tell from a multi-cultural point of view in Hamilton. Hamilton and 1776 both celebrate America. The difference though with 1776 is it intended to tell the story as if you were in the room in the year 1776. For that experience to remain intact, it should be told with white male performers in the leads.