A night full of celebration and representation as the Broadway musical A Strange Loop presented a special “Big, Black and Queer Night,” hosted by RuPaul’s Drag Race season 8 winner, Bob The Drag Queen. A talkback with the cast was held after the show’s conclusion.
“It’s truly one of the most brilliant shows I’ve ever seen in my life and I thought to myself, what if everyone in the audience was Black and Queer. How amazing would that be?” Bob said in a statement before the event. “So I reached out to the producers and a friend of mine in the show and I said, ‘Can we make this happen?” There was a warm welcome of Black and Queer theater attendees, and it was also highly encouraging that the audience members arrived in black attire.
The audience, full of LGBTQ activists and allies alike, came to a roar from the moment the curtain went up and didn’t stop until the curtain came back down at the closing of the show. A few notable LGBTQ artists in attendance included Peppermint, Mila Jam, Jade Valenciaga, and Victus, among many others.
A Strange Loop is an appropriate title for the musical as Usher, played by Jaquel Spivey, is a young, Black, gay playwright battling his inner thoughts while trying to write a musical about, well… a young, Black, gay playwright battling his inner thoughts. As Usher narrates the show, you become immersed in the complexities of those inner thoughts and fantasies. The musical brings you through a full range of emotions as you laugh and cry while watching this tale of one’s struggle with discovery and acceptance.
Spivey is joined by cast mates John-Michael Lyles, L. Morgan Lee, Antwayn Hopper, Jason Veasey, and John-Andrew Morrison. All are reprising their roles from the 2019 Off-Broadway production and are all LGBTQ performers of color. The brilliant production and design team is led by Michael R. Jackson, who wrote the book, music, and lyrics, also includes Stephen Brackett, who provided the direction. The captivating choreography was by Raja Feather Kelly, scenic design by Arnulfo Maldonado, lighting design by Jen Schriever, and sound design by Drew Levy.
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After a hugely successful Off-Broadway run in 2019 in which it swept most of the New York theater awards and after winning a Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2020, the musical made its debut on Broadway on April 26, 2022, winning Tony Awards for Best Musical and Best Book for a Musical. Unfortunately, the run of this historical show is being cut short, with its final performance set for January 15, 2023.
Have no fear if you are sad that you missed this fantastic night. Comedian, New York Times bestselling author, and Emmy Award-Winning host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah, is set to host “Black Theater Night” to celebrate the Tony Award-Winning musical on Tuesday, November 29. The event will also host a post-show talkback with Michael R. Jackson, Raja Feather Kelly, and the show’s cast. For tickets to attend the November 29 “Black Theater Night” or any other night, visit the link below:
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