REVIEW: 1776 at Paper Mill Playhouse

Before there was Hamilton, there was 1776. In a sentence: it’s the messy, chaotic, lead-up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Think, “Wait… I definitely did not learn this in sophomore year American History with Mr. Halston in Room 202.”

You know the names—John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock—but what you may not know is that they didn’t exactly like each other. At all. They clashed, they argued, they stalled… and yes, they even fought over slavery. As Adams himself puts it: “This is a revolution, dammit! We’re going to have to offend somebody!”

Will Blum (John Adams) was the absolute stand out mega star of the show. He was born to play this role! With an extensive background on Broadway as a leading man, Blum proved to audiences his valor! Another major highlight? The costumes. Rich, textured, and full of personality—complete with an enviable collection of perfectly powdered white wigs.

Perfectly timed for our nation’s 250th birthday (and honestly, she doesn’t look a day over 200—right?!), 1776 feels as relevant as ever. Audiences immediately connected with the opening line, proving some things never change: “I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is called a disgrace; that two are called a law firm, and that three or more become a Congress!”.

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