Saturday Church
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World premiere August 27 – October 12
New York Theatre Workshop
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We are all created in the Lord’s image—and that image is gorgeous, darling.
Directed by NYTW Usual Suspect and Tony Award nominee Whitney White (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding), Saturday Church features a book by Emmy Award nominee Damon Cardasis (She Came to Me) & Pulitzer Prize winner and Tony Award nominee James Ijames (Fat Ham), with music and lyrics from Grammy Award nominee Sia (“Chandelier,” This Is Acting, 1000 Forms of Fear) and additional music by Grammy Award winner Honey Dijon (Black Girl Magic).
Saturday Church will feature music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Special Tony Award Recipient Jason Michael Webb (MJ The Musical) and Grammy Award winner Luke Solomon (Beyonce’s Renaissance) and choreography by Obie Award winner Darrell Grand Moultrie (Fat Ham). It is conceived for the stage and based on the Spring Pictures film of the same name, written and directed by Cardasis.
Saturday Church tells the story of Ulysses—New York City kid, devoted son and the fiercest tenor at his aunt’s church. A chance encounter on the subway introduces him to the world of Saturday Church, a thrilling sanctuary for LGBTQ+ youth. Caught between these two worlds, Ulysses wrestles with family, faith and identity as he strives to find the place where he can love and be loved—in all his fabulousness. This new musical captures the joy of embodied liberation and the profound power of faith, with a score that soars from the transcendence of gospel to the liberating vibrations of house music. Saturday Church boldly asks, “is faith only for the Holy?” and, more importantly, “are there any queens in the house?!!!!”
Book & Additional Lyrics by Damon Cardasis & James Ijames
Music & Lyrics by Sia
Additional Music by Honey Dijon
Directed by Whitney White
Choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie
Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Aarrangements by Jason Michael Webb & Luke Solomon
Scenic Design by David Zinn
Costume Design by Qween Jean
Lighting Design by Adam Honoré
Sound Design by Gareth Owen
Music Direction by Deah Love Harriot
Music Production by Chris Penny
Casting by Nicholas Petrovich & Erica A. Hart
By special arrangement with Tim Levy & Cindy Tolan
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