'The Man Who Bought a Country'

Actors' NET of Bucks County presents Joe Doyle's musical about the life and works of Robert Morris.

   Until mid-summer of last year, I had no idea who Robert Morris was.
   Oh, I had heard that the town of Morrisville, Pa., had been named for him. That probably meant he was a Pennsylvanian and therefore not the same Morris for whom Morristown, N.J. is named. Come to think of it, there's a Gouverneur Morris Hotel there, so it's probably not the same guy. And, if I remember correctly from the musical 1776, Robert Morris knew people like George Washington and Ben Franklin, undoubtedly had signed the Declaration of Independence and probably some other stuff. But that was about all I knew — until then.
   Actors' NET of Bucks County, headquartered in the old municipal garage in Morrisville, Pa., had teamed up with a civic group to celebrate the bicentennial of the town in a big way — a full-fledged musical, written by Joe Doyle, directed by his wife, Cheryl (the pair founded and run Actors' NET). A cast of nearly 50 presented The Man Who Bought a Country on a rudimentary stage in a park on North Delmorr Avenue in Morrisville.
   And, despite horrible stage conditions (third-rate sound and fourth-rate lighting equipment), we all learned just what the life and works of Robert Morris meant, not just to a small section of Pennsylvania, but to the new country being formed and its citizens — how Morris, a man of extremely humble parentage, became an accomplished banker, landowner, financier of major projects during our Revolution, signed the Articles of Confederation, was a close friend and advisor of Washington, co-founded the U.S. Navy and later became a senator from Pennsylvania.
   We also learned of the great and enduring love of his wife, Mary (Molly), his bankruptcy and several years in debtor's prison, and his modest recovery. Told in 16 scenes over two acts and more than three hours, it was an insane undertaking, but one that even with flaws, stirred the soul and warmed the heart.
   Now the show is back — this time tucked neatly into Actors' NET's own postage-stamp stage setting, cut to perhaps 30 in the company, a scene chopped, and still at about three hours. There are some changes: the scene shifts are much smoother and quicker. Technically the show now runs smoothly and the power surges have disappeared. A few cast changes as well: Steve Lobis remains as Robert Morris, still acting the role with great style and insight. If you compare him to the contemporary portrait of the time, the resemblance is stunning. He also clearly studied his subject's personal and private life and lays them out in uncomplicated terms for the audience.
   Tom Orr has returned as Gen. George Washington, as if born to the role. Joe Doyle is back as John Adams, a role that he has begun to call his own. And Marco Newton again plays Patrick Colvin, the local ferry man for whom the town was almost named. He was credited with supplying the boats Washington used to cross the Delaware and surprise the Hessians in Trenton.
   But there are newcomers as well: Michael Ashby now handles the role of Benjamin Franklin with great humor and a twinkle in the eye. And Kyla Marie Mostello now plays Mary (Molly) Morris with exquisite grace and charm. And James Petro steals both scenes and ladies' hearts as the Marquis de La Fayette.
   At three hours, the show is still a bit long, but it remains an extraordinary accomplishment, a fine history lesson (much more accurate than most accounts) and most importantly, good entertainment.

The Man Who Bought A Country continues at the Heritage Center, 635 N. Delmorr Ave., Morrisville, Pa., through Sept. 4. Performances: Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 6 p.m. Tickets cost $15. For information, call (215) 295-3694. On the Web: www.actorsnetbucks.org