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Joaquina Kalukango
Joaquina Kalukango

Paradise Square, A New Musical, Announces Cast & Broadway Premiere

Announced today, Tony Award-nominee Joaquina Kalukango (Slave Play, One Night in Miami), will lead the cast of the new musical, Paradise Square, which will open on Broadway on Sunday, March 20, 2022, at the Shubert Organization’s Barrymore Theatre. Previews will begin on February 22, 2022. The production will come to Broadway directly following a five-week engagement (November 2–December 5, 2021) at Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre.

Ms. Kalukango is a 2020 Tony Award nominee for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for her role as Kaneisha in Slave Play. She has also starred on Broadway in The Color PurpleHoller If Ya Hear Me, and Godspell. Her film and television credits include the role of Betty X in Amazon’s One Night in Miami (SAG Award nomination, Cast in a Motion Picture), HBO’s Lovecraft Country and the Netflix series, When They See Us.

Paradise Square will also star Chilina Kennedy (over 1200 performances in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical on Broadway; International tour of The Band’s Visit), Tony Award nominee John Dossett (Broadway’s PippinNewsiesGypsyRagtime), Sidney DuPont (Broadway’s Beautiful: The Carole King Musical; National tours of Memphis, A Chorus Line), A.J. Shively (Broadway’s La Cage aux FollesBright Star), Nathaniel Stampley (Broadway’s The Gershwins’ Porgy and BessThe Color Purple), Gabrielle McClinton (Broadway’s PippinChicago), Jacob Fishel (Broadway’s Fiddler on the Roof), and Kevin Dennis (Canadian productions of Young FrankensteinAssassins).

The distinguished creative team for Paradise Square features direction by two-time Tony Award nominee Moisés Kaufman (I Am My Own WifeThe Laramie Project), choreography by two-time Tony Award winner Bill T. Jones (Spring AwakeningFela!), and a book by Christina Anderson (Good Goods, Inked Baby), Marcus Gardley (The House That Will Not Stand), Craig Lucas (The Light in the Piazza) and Larry Kirwan (lead singer of Black 47). Ten-time Tony Award nominee Graciela Daniele (RagtimeOnce on This Island) will provide musical staging, in collaboration with Kaufman and Jones.

The score of Paradise Square is by the team of Grammy and Emmy Award winner Jason Howland (Beautiful: The Carole King MusicalLittle Women – The Musical) and Nathan Tysen (AmélieTuck Everlasting), with additional material provided by Masi Asare (Monsoon WeddingThe Family Resemblance) and Mr. Kirwan. The musical features original songs as well as a reimagining of the songs of Stephen Foster, who was writing and living in the Five Points at the time.

Paradise Square is produced by Garth H. Drabinsky (Kiss of the Spider Woman (Tony Award, Best Musical), Show Boat (Tony Award, Best Revival of a Musical), Ragtime, Fosse (Tony Award, Best Musical), Parade). Mr. Drabinsky’s longtime colleague, documentary filmmaker Peter LeDonne (the Academy Award-nominated Curtain Call and Sister Rose’s Passion) is co-producing.

The production will also feature Karen Burthwright, Kennedy Caughell, Dwayne Clark, Garrett Coleman, Colin Cunliffe, Chloe Davis, Bernard Dotson, Jamal Christopher Douglas, Sam Edgerly, Shiloh Goodin, Jacobi Hall, Sean Jenness, Jay McKenzie, Ben Michael, Jason Oremus, Eilis Quinn, Sara Sheperd, Lael van Keuren, Sir Brock Warren and Hailee Kaleem Wright. Additional casting will be announced shortly.

The multi-award-winning creative team features scenic design by Allen Moyer, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Donald Holder, and sound design by Jon Weston. Dramaturgy is by Thulani Davis and Sydné Mahone. Projection design is by Wendall K. Harrington. Special effects are by Gregory Meeh. Hair and wig design is by Matthew B. Armentrout. Associate choreographers are Talli Jackson and Gelan Lambert. Irish and Hammerstep choreography is by Garrett Coleman and Jason Oremus. Anne Allan is Associate Producer and Senior Resident Director. Zachary Florence is Associate Producer. Jeff Chrzczon is General Manager. Casting is by Stewart/Whitley, CSA.