The Theater League of Clifton has announced the cast of its upcoming production of 1776, the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical about the founding of the United States. Directed by Maren Sugarman, the production will be presented November 13–15, 2026, at the Wayne Community Center, 1 Pike Drive in Wayne.
The musical will be among the first major theatrical productions at the recently reopened Wayne Community Center, which was closed for more than two months following an electrical fire in July.
Leading the cast is Joe Elefante as John Adams, the outspoken Massachusetts delegate determined to persuade the Continental Congress to declare independence from Great Britain. Joining him are Anthony Rotondi as Benjamin Franklin and Don Flynn as Thomas Jefferson, the three men at the center of the musical's spirited portrayal of the birth of a nation.
The featured cast also includes Frank Ortega as Richard Henry Lee, Kevin Hayes as John Dickinson, Ryan Green as Edward Rutledge, Stephen Burke as Roger Sherman, Bill Kaufman as Robert Livingston, and Frank Skokan as John Hancock. Julia Duncan portrays Abigail Adams, Brittany Reese plays Martha Jefferson, and Hailey White appears as the Leather Apron and Painter.
Featuring music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone, 1776 premiered on Broadway in 1969 and won three Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Its exploration of political division, compromise, slavery and the meaning of liberty remains especially relevant as the nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Director Maren Sugarman returns to the Theater League of Clifton after directing several previous productions, including Oliver!, Waiting for Christmas, Man of La Mancha, Murder on the Menu and The Altos.
Tickets are $30, or $25 for seniors and students. Group rates are available for groups of 10 or larger. Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.tlctheater.org or reserved by calling (973) 928-7668.
Founded in 2005, the Theater League of Clifton is a nonprofit community organization dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the arts through theatrical performances, providing quality entertainment for audiences of all ages and creating opportunities for members of the community to participate in live theater.
1776 is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.
Theater/Organization: Wayne Community Center/Theater League of Clifton
Theater Address: 1 Pike Drive Wayne, New Jersey 07470 (Map It)
Theater Phone: (973) 928-7668
