Usher, usher, there's a new version of A Strange Loop coming. Deaf Austin Theatre's will present A Strange Loop in collaboration with Visionaries of the Creative Arts (VOCA). The Texas-based theatre company will stage Michael R. Jackson's Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical for Deaf and hard of hearing audiences in both Austin and Washington D.C. with a cast comprised of Deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing artists performing in ASL and spoken/sung English.
The production will run at Washington D.C.'s Sprenger Theatre from July 23 through August 10, and in Austin from August 29 through September 14 at a venue soon to be announced.
In a statement, creator and composer Michael R. Jackson expressed excitement for the production accessing more audiences: "I am thrilled that Deaf Austin Theatre and Visionaries of the Creative Arts are collaborating to bring A Strange Loop to their audiences. Though A Strange Loop is told through Usher鈥檚 very specific lens, it has always been my intent that his story resonates universally throughout the human condition. I believe these two theatres will crack the piece open even further in a unique way that only they can do and for that reason, I enthusiastically support this co-production.鈥�
The musical centers on Usher, a young, Black, gay theatre writer grappling with his toxic inner thoughts while trying to write a musical about a young, Black, gay theatre writer grappling with his toxic inner thought while trying to write a musical about... and on and on.
The cast will include Ronnie Bradley as Usher, Kai Clifton as Voice of Usher, Mervin Primeaux O鈥橞ryant as Thought 1, Ellison K. as Thought 2, Gabriel Silva as Thought 3, and understudy Usher, Damien DeShaun Smith as Thought 4, Wade Green as Thought 5, Jeremy Rashad Brown as Thought 6, Deaf swing Elbert Jones for Thoughts 1, 3 and 5, and hearing swing Nicholas Hunter for Thoughts 2, 4 and 6.
A Strange Loop will be co-produced by DAT and VOCA with productions to be in both Washington, D.C. and Austin, Texas this summer.
Alexandria Wailes will direct, with associate direction and music supervision by Stanley Bahorek. The production will feature direction of artistic sign language (DASL) by Kailyn Aaron-Lozano, music direction by Walter 鈥淏obby鈥� McCoy, choreography by Joey Antonio, set design by Jessica Trementozzi, costumes by Kenann Quander, lighting design by Helen Garcia-Anton, projection design by Julian Kelley, sound design by Kevin Alexander, caption design by Andres Poch, and intimacy direction by Emily Sucher.
A Strange Loop finished its Tony-winning Broadway run January 15 at the Lyceum Theatre after opening April 26, 2022. With a book, music, and lyrics by Jackson, A Strange Loop was 2022's Tony Award winner for Best Musical and also won a Tony Award for Jackson's book. The 2019 Off-Broadway run led to the work winning the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, only the 10th musical to be awarded the honor and the first to have not played a Broadway run when the honor was bestowed.
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