Looking back at a play celebrating the U.S. Bicentennial
With the United States set to celebrate its 250th anniversary since the official signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 — the document that essentially proclaims America’s independence as a country separate from Britain and its king at the time — there’s no better time to take a look back at a local play that helped to honor another milestone in U.S. history: the U.S. bicentennial commemoration.
On May 21 and 22 in 1976, the play titled “In Pursuit of Liberty,” written and directed by the late Gregory Kelsch, formerly of Lake Leelanau, was performed at Glen Lake School. Sponsored by the Leelanau County Bicentennial Commission, the program was a large community effort that included a cast of over 60 people as well as dozens working as technical staff, dancers, and in the adult and children’s chorus. It was one of the major countywide bicentennial attractions that helped signal the beginning of numerous community and township celebrations throughout that summer.
