‘A Strange Loop’ — Book, Music and Lyrics by Michael R. Jackson. Directed by Maurice Emmanuel Parent. Music Direction by David Freeman Coleman. Choreographed by Taavon Gamble. Co-produced by SpeakEasy Stage and Front Porch Arts Collective at the Calderwood Pavilion, 527 Tremont Street, through May 25.
By Helen Ganley
Some days, escaping from your inner monologue feels impossible: apprehensions about upcoming appointments, embarrassment about a middle school memory, and tension about why a friend suddenly stopped speaking to you. Suddenly, it’s 3 AM, and you haven’t gotten a wink of sleep. The collaboration between Speakeasy Stage and Front Porch Arts Collective on A Strange Loop epitomizes this cognitive dissonance and the paths one must take to escape the labyrinths of one’s mind.
A Strange Loop is a groundbreaking musical written by Michael R. Jackson that premiered Off-Broadway in 2019. The show follows Usher, a black, queer, overweight writer working as an usher for The Lion King on Broadway. With its innovative storytelling and raw honesty, A Strange Loop received widespread critical acclaim, earning the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, as well as numerous other prestigious awards, including the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical and the Obie Award for Best Book, Music, and Lyrics.
Kai Clifton heads the show as Usher (a poignant homage to Jackson’s living in the shadow of the homonymous star). Clifton grounds the show during its lows of hurt and shame and its highs of hope and optimism. Supporting the story with their youthful tenor, Clifton’s heart shines during “Boundaries.”
The Thoughts, numbered 1 through 6, played by Grant Evan, Davron S. Monroe, Jonathan Melo, Aaron Michael Ray, De’Lon Grant, and Zion Middleton, literally dance through Usher’s mind. Throughout the show, the company plays different roles in Usher’s life, becoming parents, doctors, hook-ups, historical figures, and more. Evan is a stand-out, instantly drawing attention whenever they are onstage, whether basking in the spotlight portraying Whitney Houston or delivering the one piece of constructive criticism in a litany of reviewers’ discontent.
Everyone has their moment to shine. Monroe incites raucous laughter, appearing as Harriet Tubman and astonishing with his soulful tenor in “Tyler Perry Writes Real Life.” Melo has a natural grace that creates dynamic tableaus. Ray shows real depth as Usher’s mother during “Periodically” and “Precious Little Dream/AIDS is God’s Punishment.” Grant is suave and charismatic as Usher’s (imaginary) suitor, lending his supporting bass to every number. Middleton shone in “Inwood Daddy,” a racially-charged hook-up where he jarringly slips from intense and hateful and casual post-hookup conversation.
The company meshes seamlessly as a whole, creating intense vignettes with every character change. The Thoughts opened the show with “Intermission Song,” their carefully calibrated syncopation, giving the production enormous amounts of energy.
The show’s setting is described as “A loop within a loop within a loop inside a perception of one man’s reality.” Jon Savage’s scenic design paired with Brian J. Lilienthal’s lighting design in an illuminated standing grid that houses the thoughts. This elaborate set piece directed attention where needed, adding levels and symmetry to the show. Becca Jewett’s costume design dazzled during quick changes, each outfit highlighting the character’s importance in any given scene. Despite some minor audio issues with microphones, David Remedios’s sound design was balanced and thoughtful.
“A Strange Loop” is a thought-provoking show that will leave you with not only some new songs to listen to on repeat but also with the ability to reflect on one’s identity, self-discoveries, and the complexities of existing in their own skin. For tickets and information, go to: https://speakeasystage.com/
