DANBURY — Musicals at Richter (MAR), celebrating its 42nd season as the longest-running outdoor theater in Connecticut, will kick off the summer and the nation’s 250th anniversary with the Broadway musical 1776, playing July 3-18.

Featuring a live band and a cast of talented local actors, performances will take place outdoors under the stars at Richter Arts Center, 100 Aunt Hack Road in Danbury, adjacent to Richter Park Public Golf Course.

With music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone, the entertaining and compelling Tony Award-winning musical puts a human face on the pages of history. Audiences see the people behind the iconic names: proud, frightened, uncertain, irritable, charming, often petty, and ultimately noble figures, determined to do the right thing for a fledgling nation.

It's the summer of 1776, and the nation is ready to declare independence ... if only the 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.

1776 debuted on Broadway in 1969 and ran for over 1,200 performances. The original cast featured William Daniels as John Adams, Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson, Howard DaSilva as Ben Franklin, and 21-year-old Betty Buckley in her Broadway debut as Martha Jefferson. It was made into a movie in 1972 and received two revivals in 1997 and 2022.

1776 is an insightful and engrossing musical drama with a striking score and legendary book.

Those planning to attend a performance should note the script is drawn from American history and contains challenging conversations and uncomfortable truths from this country’s past, including an intense depiction of the Atlantic slave trade. Audience discretion is advised. The show is recommended for ages 10 and above.

At the helm of MAR’s 1776 is director David Halliwell, who returns to Richter after a successful production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid last summer. A veteran director and actor, he has worked in many other local theaters including Wilton Playshop and Downtown Cabaret Theater, as well as Fairfield and Sacred Heart Universities.

For 40 years he directed the Monroe Middle School Drama Program, directing two major productions a year. He worked for 20 years with his wife directing summer musicals for her Children’s Theater Summer Program. He was a founding director of Two Planks Theater Company in Monroe, directing all of their outdoor main stage productions, including Gypsy, Spamalot, and Chicago, among others. As an actor he was most recently seen as Herr Schultz in The Sherman Players’ production of Cabaret.

Joining Halliwell as music director is Andrew Gadwah, whose previous MAR credits include music direction for Evita, Grease, and The Addams Family, and keyboard for Shrek. His other music direction/keyboard credits include Little Shop of Horrors and Matilda at New Fairfield High School, Wreck the Halls at Sherman Players, A Grand Night for Singing at Center Stage in Shelton, and Once on This Island at Spotlight Stage Company in North Haven.

Gadwah’s day job is teaching choir, music theory, and theater at New Fairfield High School.

1776 features a talented cast of MAR veterans and newcomers. Ridgefield resident Rob Mayette takes on the role of John Adams, the passionately boisterous driving force behind the independence movement. He is joined in his quest by Ted Schwartz (Brookfield) as the pragmatic and thoughtful Ben Franklin, and Karl Hinger (Brookfield) as Thomas Jefferson, the quiet intellectual tasked with writing the Declaration of Independence.

Joe Harding (New Milford) takes on the role of conservative, wealthy landowner and opponent of independence John Dickinson of Pennsylvania. Michael Solano (Danbury) is featured as formidable delegate Edward Rutledge of South Carolina, and BJ Markus (New Canaan) portrays Richard Henry Lee, the spirited proponent of independence. Presiding over the Congress as John Hancock is Chris Hetherington (Stratford).

Gail Reiser (Danbury) returns to the Richter stage after a long hiatus to play Abigail Adams, John Adams’ steadfast wife and confidante. Newcomer Emma Kelly (Fairfield) portrays both the charming Martha Jefferson and Georgia’s Dr Lyman Hall. She also serves as choreographer for the production.

Featured as members of Congress and in other key roles are Chris Neville (Bethel); Pedro Couy, Peter Lerman, and Priscilla Squiers (Danbury); Jeff Yelton (MIddletown); Christian Eklund, Lucia Eklund, Nicholas Eklund, Anthony Nittolo-Novotny, and Sedona Taylor (New Fairfield); and Michael Wright (Newtown).

New York State residents in the ensemble include Alli Byrne, Michele Dugan, Walter Ruszczyk, and Virginia Ruszczyk of Brewster; and Sarah Knowles of Pawling.

Set design for the production is by MAR Executive Director Robert Bria, with lighting design by Eric Schutz of Visual Wavelength. Costumes and wigs are designed by Stephanie Salsman.

Taylor Byrne (Brewster, N.Y.) is production stage manager, assisted by Taylor Proto (New Fairfield). MAR Artistic Director Denise Fontenelli (Danbury) is producer.

1776 is being presented by special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI (mtishows.com).

Musicals at Richter’s 2026 season is underwritten in part by a generous grant from the City of Danbury Cultural Commission. Additional funding support has been provided by CT Humanities, Ives Bank, Ridgefield Thrift Shop, and many individual donors.

Performances of 1776 will run July 3-18 with curtain Friday through Sunday evenings at 8 pm and specially discounted performances on Thursdays, July 9 and 16.

Grounds at Richter Arts Center open at 7 pm for picnicking, with the show at 8.

Tickets for 1776 are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors (65+) and students (with ID), and $15 for ages 10 and under. For the Thursday performances tickets are $25, $20 and $10, respectively.

Four pairs of comfortable VIP front row seats are available at each performance. The tickets cost $150 per pair, which includes a $90 tax-deductible donation to support MAR’s Renaissance of Richter stage and facility improvement campaign.

Audience members are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets for lawn seating. A limited number of chairs are available free of charge at the concession area, and a snack/soft drink concession is on site.

Following 1776 on the Richter main stage, the 2026 summer season will continue with Cameron Mackintosh and Disney’s beloved musical Mary Poppins, July 24 through August 8.

For younger audiences, MAR’s Fairy Tale Theater presents a series of interactive plays for young people Saturday mornings, July 11 through August 1, also at Richter Arts Center. Tickets for Fairy Tale are $5 and are available at the door.

For further information and to purchase tickets, visit musicalsatrichter.org, leave a message at 203-748-6873, or e-mail info@musicalsatrichter.org.