The upcoming production of Michael R. Jackson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical A STRANGE LOOP at Washington DC’s Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company will feature original cast members Antwayn Hopper (Thought 6), L Morgan Lee (Thought 1), John-Michael Lyles (Thought 3), James Jackson, Jr. (Thought 2), John-Andrew Morrison (Thought 4), Jason Veasey (Thought 5) and introducing Jaquel Spivey as “Usher.”
A STRANGE LOOP is a first in Woolly history. This “gutsy and jubilantly anguished” (New York Times) new musical follows a young artist at war with a host of demons — including the punishing thoughts in his own head. It will be produced in association with Playwrights Horizons and Page 73.
Christopher Michael Richardson also joins the cast as an understudy for “Usher.”
A STRANGE LOOP is directed by Stephen Brackett, music direction by Rona Siddiqui, and choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly. The show will feature set design by Arnulfo Maldonado, costume design by Montana Levi Blanco, lighting design by Jennifer Schriever, sound design by Drew Levy, hair/wig/makeup design by Cookie Jordan and orchestrations by Charlie Rosen. The creative team also includes Adam Wiggins (Copyist), Nemuna Ceesay (Assistant Director), Bryan Carter (Associate Orchestrator), Corey Umlauf (Assistant Scenic Designer), Candace Taylor (Associate Choreographer), Chelsea Pace (Intimacy Choreographer), Erin Gioia Albrecht (Production Stage Manager), Victoria Whooper (Assistant Stage Manager).
A STRANGE LOOP made its World Premiere at Playwrights Horizons in May 2019 to sold out crowds. The show quickly became a critical favorite, praised as “exhilarating and wickedly funny” by New York Magazine’s Sara Holdren and “some of the most vital work in American theater” by The New York Times’ Wesley Morris. Following the successful run, A STRANGE LOOP was the recipient of five Drama Desk Awards, two Lucille Lortel Awards, six Outer Critics Circle honors, two Obie awards, one Off-Broadway Alliance Award, and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical. Michael R. Jackson was awarded the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in Drama.
Usher is a Black queer writer working a job he hates while writing his original musical… about a Black queer writer working a job he hates while writing his original musical. Michael R. Jackson’s blistering, mind-blowing, Pulitzer-Prize winning new musical follows a young artist at war with a host of demons — including the punishing thoughts in his head — in an attempt to capture and understand his own strange loop.
Performances of A STRANGE LOOP begin Monday, November 22nd at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Co. (641 D ST. NW, Washington DC) for a limited 6-week engagement. Tickets are now on sale for A STRANGE LOOP at www.woollymammoth.net (202-393-3939).
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