Photo by Maggie Hall Photography.

Presented by Greater Boston Stage Company
A Don Fulton New Works Project
Written by Conor Casey
Director – Weylin Symes
Assistant Director/Choreographer – Tyler Rosati
Scenic Designer – Katy Monthei
Lighting Design – Corey Whittemore
Costume Design – Deidre Gerrard
Sound Design – Caroline Eng
Properties Master – Adelaide Majeski
Production Stage Manager – Marsha Smith
Fight Captain – Marge Dunn
Production Manager – Meghan Ward
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Consultant – Kira Troilo, Art & Soul Consulting LLC

May 2 – May 18, 2025
Greater Boston Stage Company
395 Main Street
Stoneham, MA 02180

Critique by Craig Idlebrook

2 hours with a brief intermission

STONEHAM, Mass. —

Too often, history is presented as a straight line, especially when it comes to successful revolutionary moments in history. Think of the common perception of the Civil Rights movement; so often it is portrayed as a lone figure marching in a straight line to victory when, in reality, it was a coalition of competing voices and branches, with victories, defeats, missteps, and contradictions. This impulse to purge doubt and impose order on chaotic change sanctifies our view of these historical figures and movements, and obscures the messy work needed to make change.

This may be most true with this country’s widely accepted origin story of the so-called Founding Fathers. They are portrayed as omniscient and saintly, rather than as the bickering, reckless, flawed drunkards many actually were. Once their image was cleansed of humanity and put on a pedestal, their ideas have been easily co-opted for any nondemocratic impulse. Conor Casey’s new play, Founding F%!#ERS, seeks to tear down these statues of the Revolution’s leaders in comedic fashion. Casey does so by focusing on the characters just beyond the limelight, the ones whose trajectories zigzagged and doubled back rather than marching forward in a straight line. The play focuses on the unlikely pairing of Ethan Allen (William Johnson), a brash Vermont militia leader, and Benedict Arnold (Marge Dunn), a scorned once-rising star of the Continental Army. Together, these two somehow led a successful charge against a British fort, but then fell to pieces after a failed attempt to take Quebec. Allen is lauded for his actions, while Arnold is not. Both question their loyalty to the cause, and one takes action.

It is impossible to watch a play of two opposing figures in the American Revolution without thinking of Hamilton, a fact which Casey wisely alludes to with a musical beat breaking the fourth wall. Casey attempts to create daylight between the two plays by doggedly refusing to simplify the complicated relationship and narrative surrounding these two historical figures. Having set on this course, it is a marvel that Casey has crafted an entertaining night of theater that can largely be followed, even by those who don’t have a degree in history that is as useful as a paperweight (cough).

However, unlike Hamilton, the play leaves its scaffolding showing to pull this feat off. A Narrator
(Will McGarrahan) in the form of a lecturer guides us through the action, while also confusingly
joining in it. While the Narrator is amiable and would be quite cool to have for a history course,
he also grounds the play, for better or worse, which dissipates its spell. In other words, he is no
Aaron Burr, sir.

The play, understandably, also struggles with its inherent newness during its world premiere. Too many lines are spoken upstage, and the onstage action can sometimes be overly busy, muddling the picture for those struggling to understand the history.

And while the play finds its footing whenever Allen and Arnold lock eyes in disregard, it loses steam when attention wanders to other historical tangents. For example, too much stage time is devoted to a pair of woebegone British soldiers who get caught up in the Boston Massacre before their paths cross with those of Allen and Arnold. While the characters are fun and bring humanity to the British, the play runs the risk of confusion by dwelling on the Boston Massacre, an event that did not directly involve our main characters. It is as if in Casey’s attempt to write a play about history’s footnotes, he couldn’t help but include footnotes of his own.

Casey largely succeeds, however, in creating a script with real moments of comedy and humanity about muddled moments in history. In this, the script is aided by the acting prowess of the Greater Boston Stage Company cast. Even in the chaos, director Weylin Symes gives ample space to allow Johnston and Dunn to reveal their characters’ vulnerability and doubt amid the braggadocio. The leading actors are warmly supported by an ensemble cast who understand the assignment of listening deeply. Also the scenic design of Katy Monthei is deceptively helpful and may be the unsung hero of the play. Monthei’s design gives the audience simple doors, prisons, and boxes that help to focus on the play’s important moments.

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