After beginning performances November 22, Michael R. Jackson’s A Strange Loop will officially open at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington, D.C. December 3. Flip through production photos of the regional engagement below.
Originally scheduled to start in September 2020, the productioin of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical was postponed to summer 2021, and then the fall, due to the pandemic. It is scheduled to play the Washington, D.C., venue through January 2, 2022.
Featuring a book, music, and lyrics by Michael R. Jackson, A Strange Loop 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 musical made its world premiere in 2019 at Playwrights Horizons and went on to win five Drama Desk Awards, two Lucille Lortel Awards, six Outer Critics Circle honors, two Obies, one Off-Broadway Alliance Award, and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical. Jackson was also awarded the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
The Woolly Mammoth production stars newcomer Jaquel Spivey as Usher alongside original cast members L Morgan Lee as Thought 1, James Jackson, Jr. as Thought 2, John-Michael Lyles as Thought 3, John-Andrew Morrison as Thought 4, Jason Veasey as Thought 5, and Antwayn Hopper as Thought 6, with Christopher Michael Richardson as the Usher understudy.
The Off-Broadway production was helmed by Stephen Brackett and featured choreography by Raja Feather Kelly and music direction by Rona Siddiqui; all three return to stage the D.C. production. The show also features set design by Arnulfo Maldonado, costumes by Montana Levi Blanco, lighting by Jennifer Schriever, sound design by Drew Levy, hair, wig, and makeup design by Cookie Jordan, and orchestrations by Charlie Rosen.
The creative team also includes copyist Adam Wiggins, assistant director Nemuna Ceesay, assistant scenic designer Corey Umlauf, assistant music director Jacinth Greywoode, assistant lighting design Aaron Tacy, assistant sound designer Crescent Haynes, assistant costume designer Azalea Fairley, associate choreographer Candace Taylor, intimacy choreographer Chelsea Pace, associate orchestrator Bryan Carter, production manager Ross Leonard, production stage manager Erin Gioia Albrecht, assistant stage manager Victoria Whooper, and production assistants Narissa Agustin and Andie Burns.
The Woolly Mammoth staging is produced in association with Playwrights Horizons and Page 73.
