We Asked, You Answered: What Does America’s Semiquincentennial Mean to You?

Read your responses to our survey.

Frank X and Dave Johnson in FRANKLINLAND at Lantern Theater Company (Photo by Mark Garvin)

In an earlier Searchlight post, we posed some questions about America’s past, present and future, here in our 250th year. We asked similar questions of the audience at performances of Lloyd Suh’s *Franklinland*, which concluded its extended run at Lantern Theater Company on June 14th. Your answers were illuminating.

What Do Lantern Patrons Think?

Here is a round-up of audience responses, submitted both online and in person. There are recurring themes: anxiety about the health of our democracy, a rejection of violence and war, and a belief that the country can still live up to its promises if those who believe in them work hard on their behalf.

What the Semiquincentennial means to me:

• We have much work to do to save our Republic.
• We’re still such a young country.
• We still have a lot to learn. (And from another audience member in response: Amen to that!)
• It feels like we are close to dying as a country because of division, hatred, and greed.
• The fact that once again democracy can’t survive past a couple of hundred years.
• That change can still happen.
• That change will happen, so why not change for the better. For all.

My hope for America’s future:

• SURVIVE!
• That this country has more stability.
• That everyone lives by the Golden Rule.
• For the government to go back to solving problems instead of squabbling about trifles.
• Women as leaders worldwide. Perhaps this is the answer to stop the ones who always start the infighting and wars.
• Unity and compassion to lead.
• More Americans to appreciate this country and love it.
• That we create the sound democracy that is the promise of America.
• To be a UNITED country with no war and violence!
• Everyone coming together as one. Racism doesn’t even make sense, we’re all human.
• That we will appreciate the marvels of diversity in America.
• We rely on our better angels.
• That out of our ashes will arise a community committed to global equality and justice.
• Democratic socialism!
• We all have equal rights.
• Reach out to each other as we are all human beings. LOVE LOVE LOVE.
• From a high school student: Love and peace.
• More community. More justice. More peace.
• More community-building. More art. More conversations that come from empathy.
• Peace and equality for all!

Something I hope America leaves in the past is:

• Rugged individualism.
• War.
• Aggressive division and misplaced anger and hatred.
• Prejudice. Elitism. Tribalism.
• Racism. Sexism. Capitalism. Hatred and discrimination.
• Racism. Sexism. Homophobia.
• Racism. Misogyny. Homophobia. All hate.

When we interviewed cast members Frank X and Dave Johnson, Frank spoke eloquently to the weight of performing a show about a founding father at this pivotal moment in our history. His words are fitting as a response to our audience’s submissions and as final words on this show in this time:

“This is our Semiquincentennial, you know? It’s not just the country’s. It’s ours. This is for all of us. It’s our history. So, it’s nice to do something that I hope will give people food for thought….How much of that have we achieved, and how much more do we need to work on in this American experiment?

I also hope that people will take heart to realize that when you look back on our history, we’ve lived through moments of incredible, bloody, neighbor-to-neighbor divisiveness and violence, and we’ve survived. And we’re living in a time of great divisiveness again. I hope that people will take heart and just believe in the experiment and do something. Do something.”

More great reading: See other recent articles and interviews on the Lantern Searchlight blog

Launching this September, Lantern Theater Company’s 2026/27 season will include four spectacular plays from some of the world’s best playwrights past and present. Read all about it!