To explore matters of faith and love, we tend to turn to the poets or the preachers. We seek their guidance when wrestling with life’s biggest questions. What is our purpose and how do we overcome setbacks? Do we love deeply enough? Will that bring us happiness? Can both destiny and free will exist simultaneously?
But musical theater has a glorious advantage when facing such existential questions — the very structure is predicated on revealing the inner conscience of a character who at the peak of their longing breaks into song, releasing that which cannot be expressed with mortal words alone. There is something miraculous about a musical!
Inspired originally by the 1947 movie starring Cary Grant, The Bishop’s Wife told the story of a struggling Bishop who is working to build a new cathedral and gets the surprise of his life when he receives a visitation by an angel. Almost 50 years later, it was adapted into The Preacher’s Wife, made famous by Denzel Washington and Whitney Houston. This updated film transported the classic story to 1990’s Harlem, evoking the grittiness of city living when a humble pastor and his community face financial strife and must save their church from closing. And now, nearly 25 years later, composer Tituss Burgess and writer Azie Dungey have managed to finally address the one critical flaw in the title itself — this is THE WIFE’s story, and it is finally time for her to step out of the shadow of her husband. Through a lush musical score that exquisitely seduces both head and heart, seasoned by their crisp ear for comedy, Tituss and Azie’s new musical of the same name joyfully elevates and makes real the complications of faith and love.
We are so excited to share this magical story with you, told by some of the greatest legends in our field and a cast that will make anyone a believer — that even when we experience a poverty of faith, love is a powerful stabilizing force that can became an engine for transformation!
Sit back, join the poets and the preachers, and let the miracle of theater take over!
Tinashe Kajese-Bolden
Artistic Director
&
Christopher Moses
Artistic Director
Learn more about The Preacher's Wife.
