Michael R. Jackson's A Strange Loop Announces World-Premiere Casting

Casting has been announced for the world premiere of Michael R. Jackson's musical, A Strange Loop, presented by Playwrights Horizons in association with Page 73. Directed by Stephen Brackett and choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly, performances will run May 24-July 7 on the Playwrights Horizons mainstage.

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 writer, working a job he hates while writing his original musical. Michael R. Jackson's blistering, momentous new musical (and his professional debut) 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.

The cast will feature Antwayn Hopper (Hair) as Thought #6; James Jackson, Jr. (The Black-Ups) as Thought #2; L Morgan Lee (Defiant, Majestic, and Beautiful) as Thought #1; John-Michael Lyles (This Ain't No Disco) as Thought #3; John-Andrew Morrison (The Tooth of Crime) as Thought #4; Larry Owens (Gigantic) as Usher; and Jason Veasey (The Lion King) as Thought #5.

The creative team includes Arnulfo Maldonado (scenic designer), Montana Levi Blanco (costume designer), Jen Schriever (lighting designer), Alex Hawthorn (sound designer), Charlie A. Rosen (orchestrator), Rona Siddiqui (music director), and Erin Gioia Albrecht (production stage manager).