New player on NNY stage presents '1776'

GOUVERNEUR — A new theatrical organization has walked onto the north country's entertainment stage.

North Country Players was created by Richard R. and Jennifer L. Haynes. The husband and wife are music teachers at Gouverneur Central School District.

Mrs. Haynes said the Gouverneur area used to have the Gouverneur Community Players, which folded nearly 20 years ago.

"We didn't see a lot of performance opportunities for children and adults in our area," Mrs. Haynes said. "We wanted to bring that back."

The nonprofit group will present its premiere show, the musical "1776," on July 30 and 31 at Gouverneur High School, with Mrs. Haynes directing. Her husband is the new organization's president.

"1776" was selected because North Country Players has many more men than women and the musical has roles for 25 men and two women.

There is also a full orchestra for the show, consisting of professional musicians along with college and high school students.

North Country Players also hopes to present dramatic productions.

"We'd like to do at least one musical each summer, but we'll get this first show off the ground first and get established as a group," Mrs. Haynes said.

Besides Gouverneur, Mrs.Haynes said the group has members from Watertown, Canton, Potsdam and Antwerp. New members are welcome.

"1776," with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and book by Peter Stone, ran on Broadway from 1969 to 1972 and was revised for Broadway for a 1997-98 run. It depicts the Second Continental Congress in the days leading to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It's set in various Philadelphia locations, and "certain reaches of John Adams's mind."

Songs include "Sit Down, John," "But, Mr. Adams" and "The Lees of Old Virginia."