Dallas, TX. – March 27, 2019 – Dallas Summer Musicals (DSM), in partnership with the Dallas Public Library and Seth Kaller Inc., announced today that a collection of Revolutionary War and Founding Era documents will be on display at the Music Hall at Fair Park during the Dallas engagement of “Hamilton” from April 2nd to May 5th. The centerpiece of the display will be the Dallas Public Library’s rare, July 4th, 1776 broadside of the Declaration of Independence.
“We’re so proud to partner with the Dallas Public Library and Seth Kaller, Inc. to add this exciting element to Dallas’ ‘Hamilton’ experience,” said DSM President Ken Novice. “We encourage everyone, whether you have a ticket to the show or not, to come down to the Music Hall and see this exciting display of our nation’s history.”
On the night of July 4th, 1776, Philadelphia printer John Dunlap was tasked with printing the first broadside of the Declaration of Independence. The broadsides were printed by the next day and distributed to every colony, as well as to the head of the Continental Army, General George Washington.
It was the first published version of the text, the first version to be made public and the version that most printers relied upon for their own editions going forward. There are only 26 known copies remaining in existence, including the one in the Dallas Public Library’s collection. It is the only copy in the western United States and one of only a few that are in good condition.
“‘Hamilton’ is a cultural phenomenon that has brought great attention to the Founding Era,” added Jo Giudice, Director of the Dallas Public Libraries. “We are thrilled to loan our rare Dunlap broadside of the Declaration of Independence to DSM so that thousands of people can learn more about the musical’s historical context.”
In addition to the Declaration, Seth Keller, Inc. and University Archives will be loaning an amazing collection of documents and artifacts from their unique Alexander Hamilton collection, including:
- One of Hamilton’s most revealing love letters to Elizabeth Schuyler, calling her “a little sorceress” who bewitched and rendered him “restless and unsatisfied with all about me.”
- A first edition of the “Reynolds Pamphlet” (in which Hamilton admits to infidelity but vigorously denies financial crimes) that survived Eliza’s attempt to have them all burned.
- Hamilton’s important financial papers, and his draft letter rallying to defeat Jefferson at all costs after Washington declined to run for a third term.
- Original letters and documents of Hamilton, Washington, Jefferson, Burr, and more.
- Alexander Hamilton Jr’s annotated copy of the Federalist Papers.
“We are so excited to share a small portion of our extensive ‘Hamilton’ collection with the people of Dallas,” said Seth Kaller.
The unique collection will be on display, free of charge, in the lobby of the Music Hall at Fair Park (909 First Avenue) from April 2nd through May 5th during regular box office hours and during each “Hamilton” performance (Monday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday – Saturday: 10 a.m. to end of intermission, Sunday: noon to end of intermission).
DSM encourages “Hamilton” ticket holders to arrive as early as possible (suggested 1.5 hours before curtain) to ensure they will have enough time to view this collection.
Tickets for “Hamilton” are on sale now and available at DallasSummerMusicals.org or by phone at 1 (800) 745-3000. They can also be purchased in-person at the Music Hall at Fair Park Box Office Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Patrons are advised to check for late release seats which may become available at short notice. In addition, the show is offering a digital lottery, with 40 tickets being sold for every performance for $10 each. More information and guidelines on the lottery can be found here.
