Docudrama about the debate surrounding New York State's ratification of the United States Constitution. Historical figures wear modern dress and use familiar language to help today's audience understand firsthand the forces that shaped this country two hundred years ago. The argument, characters, passions and debating points are historically accurate, but the language and the medium of the debate is modern in form. Present day newscasters and commentators play themselves, reporting on the events of the 1780s as though they were occurring now.
Cast
Cokie Roberts
Self - Host
William F. Buckley Jr.
Self
Walter Cronkite
Self
John Chancellor
Self
Phil Donahue
Self
Robert MacNeil
Self
Andrea Mitchell
Self
Al Roker
Self
Forrest Sawyer
Self
Jamey Sheridan
Daniel Shays
Ed Koch
Mayor of New York City, 1788
James Rebhorn
Jesse Woodhull
Mario Cuomo
Self
Charlayne Hunter-Gault
Self
François Giroday
Alexander Hamilton
Christopher Curry
John Lansing, Jr.
Nesbitt Blaisdell
Gov. George Clinton
Sol Wachtler
John Jay
Drew Snyder
Demonstrator
Joseph Warren
Robert Yates
John C. Vennema
Robert R. Livingston
E.G. Marshall
Federalist Spokesman
Rex Robbins
Isaac Roosevelt
Edwin McDonough
Donahue Audience Member
Richard Bright
Donahue Audience Member
Richard Seff
Donahue Audience Member
William Duell
Donahue Audience Member
MacIntyre Dixon
Donahue Audience Member
Patrick Clear
Donahue Audience Member
Eli Wallach
Anti-Federalist Spokesman
Roberts Blossom
Melancton Smith
Guy Paul
Convention Secretary
Jonathan Bolt
Anti-Federalist Delegate
Stu Daly
Voice-over Announcer
Crew
Ellen Giffard
Director, Producer
Muffie Meyer
Director, Producer
Ronald Blumer
Writer
Alison Ellwood
Editor
Lawrence Silk
Additional Editing
Ed Marritz
Director of Photography
Brenda Goodman
Assistant Director
Kyle McCarthy
Assistant Director
Terry Benes
Assistant Director
Nicole A. Gordon
Executive Producer
Lynn Piasecki
Associate Producer
Amy J. Kaufman
Co-Producer
Barbara Shapiro
Casting Director
Eve Battaglia
Casting Assistant
Judy Claman
Extras Casting
Mary Jane McCarty
Costume Designer
Susan Douglas
Wardrobe Supervisor
Jo-ann Dumm
Makeup & Hair
Margaret Peckham
Assistant Art Director
Arnold Black
Original Music Composer
Jeanette Oleksa
Set Decoration
Michael Zande
Set Dresser
Robert Achs
Additional Photography
James McCalmont
Additional Photography
John Wright Stevens
Art Direction