A Dazzling and Emotional Ride

A Strange Loop

Recently Raven Theatre presented OCTET, their very first musical. It was stunning and remains one of the most exhilarating, inventive and successful shows I had ever seen. But in this first co-production between About Face and Raven Theatre, our Fall Theatre season opens with yet another production that’ll undoubtedly be making Chicago history. This new musical is another dazzling and emotional ride, a very different, unconventional kind of show that’s also so electrifying that it will haunt your mind and burrow into your soul.

A STRANGE LOOP has claimed its place in theatre history through a number of notable accolades. Written by Michael R. Jackson, the multitalented artist became the first Black playwright to win the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for a musical. When the autobiographical musical opened Off-Broadway it earned high critical praise and an aggregate of awards. Then, when this masterpiece opened on Broadway, it went on to win the 2022 Tony Awards for Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical. The production also earned a Drama Desk Award, a Drama League Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award and the Theatre World for Best Actor.

Megan Carney, the Producing Artistic Director of About Face, calls this unique artistic collaboration “a dream come true.” And Jonathan Berry, Raven Theatre’s talented Executive Director, expresses being “thrilled” to co-produce this musical with About Face and to host the Chicago Premiere of the multi award-winning Broadway show. They are absolutely correct, and I predict a sellout run of A STRANGE LOOP that will probably have to be extended in order to accommodate the demand for tickets.

An attempt to explain the story of this musical is difficult. In fact, the show doesn’t really have a traditional plot, like OKLAHOMA or HAMILTON. Just know that the fourth wall is going to be shattered and the seven gifted, enthusiastic actors in this production will be sharing their words, thoughts and opinions, aimed directly at the audience. 

The story revolves around a character named Usher (not the rap singer), a Gen Z New Yorker who works as an actual usher at the Broadway theatre where THE LION KING is playing. This is how Usher pays his bills, but it’s not his chosen career. The young man is a struggling theatrical writer. He’s trying to write an original, biographical musical entitled, A STRANGE LOOP. In this meta musical, Usher is writing about himself as a Black, queer, overweight young man, who works as a theater usher, who’s trying to write a biographical musical…a very strange loop. But Usher’s goal is continually being interrupted by self-doubts and criticism, often given by his judgmental mother and father. But the voices in his head, who take the physical form of characters with the names, Thoughts 1-6, are also constantly tormenting the young writer. The result is an endless creative loop, like a Mobius strip. The rabbit hole down which Usher has fallen has only one side and one edge, and it seems to go on continuously forever.

This scintillating production is directed with passion and creative vision by About Face Artistic Associate, Mikael Burke. Staged on the larger Johnson Stage at Raven Theatre, A STRANGE LOOP feels appropriately personal and intimate, which it is. Kyu Park provides some gorgeous musical direction of the challenging score, which is played backstage by a live, six-member orchestra. Nicely lighted by Brendan Marble, scenic designer Sydney Lynne has created a flexible environment of sliding panels and curtains that works perfectly for telling this story. And Janelle Smith has smartly fashioned costumes that tell the audience much more about each character. 

Usher expresses himself through monologues and solo songs. He also has musical conversations with his parents, his physician, several gay tricks and a theater patron, as well as with  several fictional and historical characters. Songs include the uptempo “Intermission Song,” “We Wanna Know,” “Inner White Girl,” “Exile in Gayville,” and others, ending in the titular, “A Strange Loop.” And many of the songs are made even more exciting by the pulsating choreography by the brilliant Breon Arzell.

The cast for this production can’t be praised highly enough. They are all superlative performers. Each and every one is a superb actor, singer and dancer. Never leaving the stage, however, Eddie Weaver makes his auspicious Raven Theatre debut, starring as Usher. Eddie’s a native of Atlanta, where he appeared in A STRANGE LOOP at Actors Express. He’s simply magnificent in the leading role at Raven—so touching and honest, with a sweet singing voice and a talent for movement that’s the obvious why the young actor’s been seen in shows like THREE PIANOS, LEGALLY BLONDE and THE PROM.

The six Thoughts, who also double as Usher’s mother, father, doctor and other characters throughout the production, are played by a company of professional, exquisitely talented triple threats. They include the lovely and lone female, Micah Mixon, as Thought 1, who understudied roles in AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ at Drury Lane and has appeared at Young People’s Theatre of Chicago. Thought 2 is portrayed by actor and singer, Matheus Barbee. This talented performer has been enjoyed around Chicago, in shows like DIANA, THE MUSICAL at Theo Ubique, SISTER ACT at Drury Lane and THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE at Paramount.  Christopher Wayland plays Thought 3 with comic skill. The talented actor has been seen at Raven Theatre in shows like THE LUCKIEST, HOODOO LOVE and CHOIR BOY. Mr. Wayland is also a Professor of Acting at Roosevelt University’s CCPA.

Continuing with the gifted ensemble, Michael Turrentine, who dynamically portrays Thought 4, is an actor, writer, dancer and social justice educator in Chicago. He’s a magnetic performer who has been seen at theaters all over Chicagoland, including at the Marriott, Paramount and Drury Lane, just to name a few. Thought 5 is played by John-Payne, a Chicago theatre artist and performer, who’s making their auspicious debut at Raven Theatre. And also making his superb Raven debut is Naphtali Curry, in the powerful role of Thought 6. He’s been seen as Donkey in the National tour of SHREK THE MUSICAL, in SPELLING BEE at Paramount, TWELFTH NIGHT at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and in THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF MOTOWN at Black Ensemble Theater.

This musical, which deservedly took home a multitude of accolades and honors, finally makes its bright, bodacious premiere in Chicago. It illustrates an ideal and terrific partnership in a co-production between About Face and Raven Theatre. Definitely aimed at liberal audiences over the age of sixteen, the Pulitzer Prize-winning autobiographical musical features a book, music and lyrics by the incredible Michael R. Jackson. The show focuses on an empathetic character named Usher, who wrestles with complicated feelings concerning his talent, body image, parental relationships, loneliness, sexuality, homophobia and personal trauma. But this is a musical like no other and is definitely worth every adult theatergoer’s attention. A STRANGE LOOP is definitely a dazzling and emotional ride!        

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented October 8-November 8 in a co-production between About Face and Raven Theatres, at 6157 N. Clark, Chicago.

Tickets are available in person at the box office, by calling them at 773-338-2177 or by going to www.raventheatre.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.

Photos by Joe Mazza-brave lux