New Hampshire Theatre Project presents

The Duel

By James Patrick Kelly

Directed by Blair Hundertmark

An original play about the infamous duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr by New Hampshire author James Patrick Kelly, with live music and soundscape composed by Jose Duque. Supported by a NH State Council on the Arts New Works Grant.

In 1804, two of the Founding Fathers met on the field of honor. One was the sitting Vice President of the United States. The other was the leader of the opposition party. Both men aspired to the Presidency. If you can imagine what would have happened if Al Gore and George W. Bush had settled their differences with gunplay, you can get a sense of how this duel rocked the new nation to its foundations. But there was more at stake than just personal animosity between two great leaders. Here's history that they never taught in school: the larger issue Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr fought over was whether the New England states would secede from the Union. In The Duel, everything you think you know about the birth of our nation is called into question. And the outcome of the most famous duel in history may not be what you think. Audience members are asked not to reveal the surprise ending to this taut political thriller.

The regionally selected cast includes Steve Bornstein as Aaron Burr and Kevin Collins as Alexander Hamilton, with Joseph Chase, Tom Olson, Lisa Richardson, and Kathy Somssich.