About the Show

At a wayside tavern in the colony of New York in 1775, a night-long farewell party sets the stage for a swirl of political intrigue, romantic folly, treasonous plots, and a potentially deadly conspiracy.

A new and original story for the musical stage, Fair Liberty’s Call is based on historical events from the Revolutionary War - when those politically-charged times erupted into fiery clashes between rabble- rousing Patriots and resolute Loyalists... and stirred the hopes of African-Americans that rebellion would bring emancipation.

A musical story of the American Revolution, Fair Liberty’s Call boasts a score fashioned from authentic Colonial era music, interweaving the drama with captivating period songs: political anthems, haunting ballads, inspirational spirituals, beloved lullabies and lively tavern songs – music that speaks directly to the heart of the human condition.

Reviews

“I see something very exciting in Fair Liberty’s Call: a story that both shows and tells history in a provocative and powerful way. Young people and adults who see Fair Liberty’s Call will learn that history is not a series of dates and events to be memorized and forgotten, but our common story and heritage told with wonderful music and  passionate words.”

Peter Royston
President of the theater educational service, Guidewrite, and contributor to Center Stage and Stagebill magazines

 Fair Liberty’s Call blends the music and dance of the Revolutionary War era to tell a story that is both rooted in historical fact and timeless in appeal. This show brings to life a time and a people who are too often rendered as stock figures. Disdaining easy answers, the playwright intends rather to give all sides a say, and to respect the choices made by our eighteenth century forebears. This is a side of history very different from what most of us learned in school, both more complex and more comprehensible. We can see ourselves in the characters who meet in the Widow Edwards’ tavern on that night in 1775. Combining familiar tunes and little-known events, Fair Liberty’s Call offers a rare glimpse and a fresh new look into the struggle behind our nation’s painful birth.”

Andrew C. Batten
Noted colonial era historical writer, lecturer, and History Channel contributor

 Fair Liberty’s Call is a very good idea, an interesting play and full of very, very good music.”

Oscar Brand
Noted performer, singer-writer and host of the award-winning “Folksong Festival” on New York Public radio

 “An outstanding work for the musical theatre… I was transported and completely fascinated- the characters, the music, the story all ring true to history while engaging and enlivening modern tastes and sensibilities. A captivating theatrical experience”

Steven J. Cahn, Ph.D.
Professor of music theory at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and international lecturer

 “…the story makes us think long and hard about our precious freedom…Theatregoers will be enthralled with Fair Liberty’s Call.”

The Illustrated News

Playwright's Note | Musical Arranger's Note
Historian’s Note | About the Show