The world premiere of Michael R. Jackson’s A Strange Loop opens at Playwrights Horizons June 17, after beginning performances May 24. The musical follows a young artist at war with a host of demons—not least of which are the punishing thoughts in his own head—in an attempt to capture and understand his own strange loop.
A Strange Loop features a book, music, and lyrics by 2017 Jonathan Larson Award and 2017 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award winner Jackson. The world premiere, presented in association with Page 73, is directed by Stephen Brackett with choreography by Raja Feather Kelly.
The new musical explores the thoughts of Usher, a Black, queer writer working a job he hates while writing his original musical: a piece about a Black, queer composer working a job he hates while writing his original musical.The company of A Strange Loop is made up of Antwayn Hopper (Hair, The Loophole, A Civil War Christmas) as Thought #6; James Jackson, Jr. (The Black-Ups, Radio City Christmas Spectacular) as Thought #2; L Morgan Lee (Defiant, Majestic, and Beautiful, Broken Bride; Jesus Christ Superstar) as Thought #1; John-Michael Lyles (This Ain’t No Disco, Sweeney Todd, The Flick) as Thought #3; John-Andrew Morrison (The Tooth of Crime, The Greenwich Village Follies; Marley, The Musical) as Thought #4; Larry Owens (Gigantic; Grease; Dreamgirls) as Usher; and Jason Veasey (The Lion King; The Loophole; For the Last Time) as Thought #5.
Performances are currently scheduled through July 7 at Playwrights. For more information visit PlaywrightsHorizons.org.
