Celebrating the 250th: SCHers Take Part in '1776: The Musical’ in Philadelphia 

Over the next two months, a unique, high-energy production of 1776: The Musical will take over the stage at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA), located at Broad and Christian Streets.

The production brings together 40 talented high school theater students from across the Philadelphia region, including SCH rising juniors Gray David and Leila Szalay, who both play Founding Father Lyman Hall.

“Participating in this production has been unlike any other theater experience I’ve ever had,” said David. “I’ve been surrounded by immensely talented performers, many of whom aim to pursue theater professionally, and their dedication and passion have profoundly impacted my outlook on the art we are practicing. Working under higher pressure and with higher stakes, I’ve been forced to hone my abilities, and I am so excited to return to the Players stage in the fall and put everything I’ve learned into practice.”

SCH Upper School history teacher Tommy Richards, author of The Unfinished Business of 1776: Why the American Revolution Never Ended, is also on hand as the production's dramaturg.

The project is the brainchild of former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and is designed to explore the nation’s foundational principles of freedom and democracy through the performing arts. “In honor of America’s 250th birthday, we wanted to use 1776 to teach high school students the sacrifices and compromises it took to form this great nation,” said Rendell in a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article about the production. 

The premiere drew a star-studded audience, including former President Joe Biden, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, and Rendell himself.

"This has been such a meaningful experience for me," said Szalay. "I’ve made so many amazing friends who have supported me throughout rehearsals, and I’ve loved getting to sing, act, and learn this incredible show with them. I even had the opportunity to meet President Joe Biden, which I’ll never forget. I’m so grateful Dr. Richards introduced me and made this possible.”

A total of 56 shows are scheduled to run through mid-August, and with SCHers sharing a role, you can always catch one on stage. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit Penn Live Arts.