Casting |

We Wrote the Constitution
– not “a bunch of old dead guys” –

new musical theatre work, revised version since the 2011 premiere

Large cast, mostly male. See below for minimum cast, chart of vocal ranges and voice “parts” for main roles, dance requirements, and additional casting/characterization notes per role. Several delegates being eliminated (2017).

photo by Kevin McGuire

Updates in progress. PDFs will open in new tabs:

1787 Characters pp i-ii (PDF)
casting notes of 1787 Script Appendix 1 pp 127-129 (PDF)

1787 vocal ranges (PDF)

1787 Vocal Selections (PDF)

Songs Singers/Dancers charts & descriptions (PDF)

See also relevant historical biographies and other resources at teachingamericanhistory.org

Minimum players: 19 delegates + 2 Jackson roles + 5 female roles. Henry and all Shays supporters except Pitcher are planned as double-cast. Females may be added to provide choral balance of Company choruses. Low-voiced females may be cast in male roles if played believably as male. It also is possible to replace Jacob Good’s lines and role with the role of Jackson, the Slave, though Good is written as a separate character.

VA	36 YL	James Madison, “father of the Constitution”
VA	55 OP	General George Washington
VA	62, OP, Grmbl	George Mason, principled statesman
MD	39 Grmbl	Luther Martin, unkempt
DE	40 Grmbl	Gunning Bedford, Jr., a large man
NJ	41 Grmbl	William Paterson, short and feisty delegate
NH	46	John Langdon, late-comer
NY	32 Grmbl	John Lansing, Jr, handsome naysayer
NY	49 Grmbl	Robert Yates, Lansing’s mentor
NY	30 YL	Alexander Hamilton, handsome, brash
CT	66 OP	Roger Sherman, covert politician
PA	81 OP	Dr. Benjamin Franklin, infirm
PA	35 YL	Gouverneur Morris, one-legged ladies’ man
PA	45 OP	“Judge” James Wilson, esteemed legal authority
MA	49 OP	Nathaniel Gorham, President of the Continental Congress
MA	32 YL	Rufus King, small stature
NC	43	William Blount, chronically late
SC	48 OP	“Dictator John” Rutledge, blustering
GA	33	Abraham Baldwin, good-natured

NON-DELEGATES, with age if known

SHAYS SCENE

Daniel Shays (39), leader of rebellion

Jason Parmenter (51), “Captain of the insurgents”

Molly Pitcher (late 30s), composite character; appears later as Cleaning Woman

additional marchers to comprise ensemble chorus, mostly men

Voice at the Arsenal (unseen)

OTHER NON-DELEGATES

Secretary William Jackson (28), professional attitude

Jackson, the Slave (mature), Washington’s trusted valet, watchful and aware

Henry (any age), Madison’s servant

Jacob Good, seasoned adult, Independence Hall servant (optional)

Eliza Hamilton(29), beautiful newlywed

Dolley Payne (19) the future First Lady (a.k.a. Dolley Madison)

Katie and Penelope, young floozies

Jenny and Jacob Adams, tavern waitress and proprietor (optional)

photo by Kevin McGuire

Historically accurate, the nicknames given Young Lions (YL), Old Patriots (OP), and Grumbletonians (Grmbl), were applied in 1787 to describe delegates having similar interests. These were neither mutually exclusive groups nor automatically assigned by age.

With limited historical documentation of Jackson, Washington’s valet and slave, the character here is modeled on William Lee, who had been at Washington’s side for most of his life.

CASTING NOTES – At least a couple from among the delegates, additional to Washington, have a featured dance in “In Committee,” while nearly all delegates have some modest dancing in that song.

photo by Kevin McGuire

Nearly all delegates have solo vocal lines. All cast members in Company choruses must part-sing, and chorus vocal parts are assigned for balance. (MIDI recordings of vocal parts, for individual practice, are in progress.) Players with “character” voices can – and should – be cast in roles with selected solos. Players added to the chorus of the premiere were asked to provide period names, especially from their ancestry, for the printed program, as a means of investment in their characters.

1787 the Musical

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