A Strange Loop: Jennifer Hudson and Billy Porter bringing Pulitzer-winning queer musical to London
Jennifer Hudson, Billy Porter, Alan Cummings, Ilana Glazer and Mindy Kaling are set to co-produce ‘A Strange Loop’. (Supplied)
The Tony-winning musical A Strange Loop will be brought to London by the all-star team of Jennifer Hudson, Alan Cumming, Ilana Glazer, Mindy Kaling and Billy Porter.
The dynamic quintet helped bring A Strange Loop to Broadway, and are now set to co-produce the show as it arrives at the Barbican Theatre in London for a limited season.
The show follows Usher, a young, gay, Black writer who hates his day job, so writes a musical about a young, gay, Black writer who’s writing a musical about a young, gay, Black writer – creating a strange loop.
Usher grapples with desires, identity and instincts he both loves and loathes, all brought to life on stage by a hilarious, straight-talking ensemble.
A Strange Loop was written by Michael R Jackson and was won Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical at the 2022 Tony Awards. It also won a Pulitzer Prize, becoming only the 10th musical to do so, following in the footsteps of Hamilton.
Jennifer Hudson, whose Tony win for A Strange Loop completed her EGOT (the full collection of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards), said: “[It] is a masterpiece that deserves to be experienced by audiences everywhere. Michael R Jackson’s talent and dedication to his craft is truly inspiring, and I am honoured to be a part of bringing this story to London.”
Pose star Billy Porter, the first openly gay, Black man to win an Emmy, added: “To sit up there and see my life on stage, when everybody said that my story wasn’t valid, to see it so brave, so bold, so truthful, so complicated, so honest, and so unapologetic, was one of the most wonderful nights for me in the theatre. I am so happy to continue my association with this wonderful musical in London.”
Alan Cumming said he was “honoured to be part of this big, Black, queer-ass, musical”.
He continued: “A Strange Loop is a ground-breaking and necessary work of art that challenges and transforms the traditional Broadway musical form.”
Actor, writer and creator of The Sex Lives of College Girls Mindy Kaling said: “As a long-time fan of the show, I can confidently say that it is one of the most joyful funny and relatable musicals I have ever seen.
“It is a breakthrough masterpiece that will leave you both laughing and crying. It’s an audacious, hilarious, profoundly moving, and wholly original approach to story-telling.”
A Strange Loop runs for just 12 weeks from 17 June. Tickets are available here.
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