THE PREACHER'S WIFE by Tituss Burgess & More Set for Alliance Theatre 2023/24 Season

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 3/29/23 at 12:53pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/THE-PREACHERS-WIFE-by-Tituss-Burgess-More-Set-for-Alliance-Theatre-202324-Season-20230329

https://www.alliancetheatre.org/productions?season_status=upcoming

Updated On: 3/29/23 at 12:53 PM

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 6/6/23 at 5:32pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Michael-Arden-Tinashe-Kajese-Bolden-to-Direct-THE-PREACHERS-WIFE-World-Premiere-at-The-Alliance-Theatre-20230606

THE PREACHER’S WIFE will be directed by Tony Award nominee & NAACP Award winner Michael Arden and award-winning director and actor, Tinashe Kajese-Bolden.  Kajese-Bolden is also the Alliance’s BOLD Associate Artistic Director and co-interim Artistic Director. 

[jacobsnchz14]

Posted: 3/6/24 at 4:18pm

The Preacher’s Wife, a new musical with music and lyrics by actor, singer and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt star Tituss Burgess, and starring Amber Riley (TV’s Glee, The Wiz Live!), is set to premiere at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre. The show has a book by writer and actress Azie Dungey (Girls5eva) and direction by Tony Award winner Michael Arden and Tinashe Kajese-Bolden. Performances will run from May 11 through June 16 on Alliance's Coca-Cola Stage.

The musical is based on the 1996 Christmas movie directed by Penny Marshall and starring Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston and Courtney B. Vance. “I’ve been waiting a long time to give this to the world,” said Burgess in a statement. “I hope it brings audiences as much joy as writing it has brought me!”

Riley plays Julia Biggs, the character played by Houston in the original film. The cast also includes Rebecca E. Covington (Beautiful) as Beverly, Emmy Award winner Loretta Devine (Dreamgirls) as Marguerite Coleman, Alan H. Green (School of Rock) as Joe Hamilton, Jahi Kearse (Ain’t Too Proud) as Deacon Lewis, Davis Michael Matthews as Hakeem, Cameron McCrae as Jeremiah, Wayne Pretlow as Ol’ Mac, Brad Raymond as Deacon Johnson, Akron Lanier Watson as Henry Biggs and Donald Webber, Jr. (Hamilton) as Dudley.

The creative team includes choreographer Matthew Johnson Harris, Tony-nominated scenic designer Dane Laffrey and scenic designer Teresa L. Williams, Tony-nominated costume designer Sarafina Bush, Tony-nominated lighting designer Jennifer Schriever, Tony-nominated sound designer Joshua D. Reid, wig designer Cookie Jordan and illusionist Skylar Fox. James Sampliner serves as the production’s music supervisor, music director, orchestrator and arranger.

The Preacher's Wife, New Musical by Tituss Burgess starring Amber Riley, to Premiere in Atlanta | Broadway Buzz | Broadway.com

[DaveyG]

Posted: 5/24/24 at 2:11pm

Opening tonight! Any buzz?

[Listener]

Posted: 5/24/24 at 8:17pm

Hopeful to hear good things!

[Ke3]

Posted: 5/25/24 at 8:12pm

Considering the thread about the workshop got no responses and now there’s no reports on the production, should we assume it’s awful? Or is everyone just disinterested?

[uncageg]

Posted: 5/25/24 at 8:23pm

Ke3 said: "Considering the thread about the workshop got no responses and now there’s no reports on the production, should we assume it’s awful? Or is everyone just disinterested?"

 

Or maybe assume nobody here has seen it yet? 

 

[RWPrincess]

Posted: 5/25/24 at 10:27pm

I got lucky and was able to attend the first preview of this last week. Michael Arden and Tinashe Kajese-Bolden introduced the show and welcomed everyone. I missed Loretta Devine at City Center last year so I was really happy to see her live. I thought the show overall was strong with a great cast but also needed a bit of work. First preview clocked in at around 3 hours. I am sure they've made changes between then and now though.

I also liked the music for the most part and especially liked how they incorporated the choir. I look forward to seeing how this one evolves from here.

[jesse benet]

Posted: 5/26/24 at 10:34pm

Saw it tonight and Loretta DeVine and the fabulous set are worth it alone – Loretta for being a national treasure who brings heaps of laughter (and vocals!) anytime she steps on a stage, and the stage itself for accomplishing so much (being a Harlemite myself I loved how it weaved easily between brownstones and 125th street at Christmastime). It’s a little long, and like the movie the plot is barely there, but Titus wrote some killer songs and, echoing above, the choir is a lovely and powerful throughout the show. Don’t think it would exactly work as a Broadway musical (it has a kind of… Groundhog Day smallness to it) but super enjoyed it!

[QueenTwinnied]

Posted: 5/27/24 at 1:48am

Oh heyyyy I saw it tonight as well. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and echo all your points. 
 

I can write more tomorrow bc I’m tired. 

[QueenTwinnied]

Posted: 5/27/24 at 1:50am

RWPrincess said: "I got lucky and was able to attend the first preview of this last week. Michael Arden and Tinashe Kajese-Bolden introduced the show and welcomed everyone. I missed Loretta Devine at City Center last year so I was really happy to see her live. I thought the show overall was strong with a great cast but also needed a bit of work. First preview clocked in at around 3 hours. I am sure they've made changes between then and now though.

I also liked the music for the most part and especially liked how they incorporated the choir. I look forward to seeing how this one evolves from here."

After reading your review I clocked the time out of curiosity. Act 1 is ~75 mins and Act 2 is ~60 not including curtain call and encore. I’m sure they’re still editing the show 

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 9/25/24 at 10:45am

While everyone says their show is "going to broadway," Titus Burgess said at his concert in Chicago last night that The Preacher's Wife would play Broadway next year. 

His concert was pretty spectacular. It was more jazz and rock than Broadway, and I think a lot of folks were hoping for a lot more Titus Andromedon (there was none).