Dr. Benjamin Franklin: “John (Adams), really. You talk as if independence were the rule. It's never been done before. No colony has ever broken from the parent stem in the history of the world.” – “1776”

As our nation prepares for the 250th anniversary of the vote on, and signing, of the Declaration of Independence July 4, the Community Center and Harbor Theater have a special event planned for the patriot in all of us.

On Wednesday, July 1, the multi-Tony Award winning musical “1776,” starring William Daniels (John Adams), Howard Da Silva (Benjamin Franklin) and Donald Madden (Thomas Jefferson), returns to the silver screen at 6:30 p.m. When the doors of the theater open at 6 p.m., re-enactors from Colonial Maine Living History Association, in period dress, will greet attendees and welcome them to travel back in time.

How did this splendid evening come to pass? It all began with Community Center Office Manager Jane Carpenter, who was thinking about a fundraising event early this year. This being America’s semiquincentennial anniversary, one of her favorite musicals, “1776,” sprang to mind.

“I watched it whenever it was on TV, I had the film on tape ... I have adored it from the beginning,” Carpenter said. “I just watched it again recently. One of the elements that makes it interesting, is the way the music and songs (Sherman Edwards) and Peter Stone’s script capture most of the personalities. This musical is still so loved after 54 years.” The film was released in 1972.

Before Jefferson penned the words, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights," Abigail Adams, wife of John, and quite possibly one of the first women’s rights activists, criticized him on May 7, 1776 for "retaining an absolute power over wives" while fighting for independence. 

Carpenter, keen to layer America’s past with present day, contacted Colonial Maine Living History Association, an event-based living history re-enactment group in Maine.

The group focuses on New England's colonial period, particularly those years here in Maine. After speaking with its contact person, the event was placed on the group’s list of appearance requests for the year. Carpenter was thrilled to learn the group voted to add the event to its appearance list.

“I asked for four to six people in costume,” Carpenter said, “but I was told more members of the group wanted to attend!”

Lynn Thompson, theater executive director, said she’d heard from Carpenter in early April. They met with Jane Good to go over the ideas and plans. “We were able to book the film from Sony Pictures through our regular booking agent,” Thompson said. The Community Center is one of Harbor Theater's Community Partners; they are using their "free use of the theater" benefit for this fundraiser.

After the welcome by CMLHA re-enactors, attendees can enjoy food and beverages. Karen Jordan’s Social Graze Charcuterie catering business will have an array of the creative charcuterie assortments her business is known for. And, in recognition of the film, a Patriot Punch, so named for its red, white and blue layers, will be served along with Prosecco to toast the historic occasion.

Dr. Benjamin Franklin: (to John Dickinson): "Be careful, Mr. Dickinson. Those who would give up some of their liberty in order to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

The 160 tickets available for this event are $25 and on sale now on the Harbor Theater website: https://boothbaycinema.org/. The theater is at 185 Townsend Ave. in Boothbay Harbor.

Proceeds support Community Center programs and activities. For more information about the Community Center and its programs:  https://www.boothbaycommunitycenter.org/ 

Revisit the Declaration of Independence at https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript