'1776' Historic Musical Runs July 8 - 18 At Roosevelt Park In Edison

EDISON, NJ — "1776" will run July 8 - July 18 as part of Middlesex County’s Plays-in-the-Park series.

The musical will run nightly at 8 p.m. at the Stephen J. Capestro Theatre located inside Roosevelt Park in Edison (1 Pine Drive, Edison, NJ 08837).

There are no shows on Sundays.

"1776" is a comedic historic musical about the founding of the United States of America. Here's a plot synopsis:

"It is the summer of 1776, and the nation’s founding fathers are debating declaring independence from the shackles of the British monarchy. The only issue is our founding fathers all need to agree about it! 1776 follows the story of John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia as they set out to convince the members of the Second Continental Congress to vote for American independence and to sign the Declaration of Independence."

It's a musical that's written for adults and children ages 10-12 and up will enjoy. "Expect some bawdy references and mild cursing, but otherwise it's a great pick for a fun and educational night for older kids," says Common Sense Media.

Ticket prices are $8 per adult, $5 per senior citizen (60 and over), and children 12 and under enter for free.

You cannot buy tickets in advance. Tickets are available on-site at the Stephen J. Capestro Theatre box office only on the day of the performance. There are no advance sales or online ticketing options. The ticket booth opens at 5:30 pm, and patrons are admitted to the seating area immediately after purchasing tickets. All shows start at 8 pm, and the ticket booth closes at 8:30 pm each show night. Attendees are required to bring their own lawn chair with a back no higher than 40 inches.

In the event of inclement weather, ticketholders should retain their ticket stub for admission to another performance this season.

The Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners is proud to offer complimentary admission to active U.S. Military Service members and their immediate families for any performance. Complimentary tickets are also available for veterans and their immediate families on the Monday and Tuesday performances of each summer show.

Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations to support REPLENISH and Feeding Middlesex.

Don’t miss other musicals in the Plays-in-the-Park summer 2026 season:

• June 17-27 – All Shook Up
• July 29-August 8 – Guys and Dolls
• For more information on Plays-in-the-Park, please visit middlesexcountynj.gov/PIP.