Deaf Austin Theatre Partners with WDC Company for 2025 Production of Michael R. Jackson's A STRANGE LOOP
Deaf Austin Theatre (DAT) and Visionaries of the Creative Arts (VOCA) announce a historic collaboration with a co-production of A Strange Loop, the Tony Award-winning musical by Michael R. Jackson to be presented in Summer 2025.
This innovative co-production will mark the first time two Deaf theatre companies in the United States have joined forces to stage a performance, bringing a fresh perspective to Jackson’s critically acclaimed work. A Strange Loopwill be performed by a company of Deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing artists in ASL and Spoken/Sung English.
On this collaboration, playwright and Pulitzer Prize winner Michael R. Jackson said, “I am thrilled that Deaf Austin Theatre and Visionaries of the Creative Arts are collaborating to bring A Strange Loop to their audiences. Though A Strange Loop is told through Usher’s very specific lens, it has always been my intent that his story resonates universally throughout the human condition. I believe these two theaters will crack the piece open even further in a unique way that only they can do and for that reason, I enthusiastically support this co-production.”
Originally produced Off-Broadway in 2019, A Strange Loop premiered on Broadway in April 2022 , winning Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical at the 75th Tony Awards.
A Strange Loop follows Usher a Black queer man writing a musical about a Black queer man writing a musical. The Pulitzer Prize-winning musical is renowned for its raw, incisive humor and its deep dive into identity, self-perception, and artistic struggle.
Directed by Alexandria Wailes with Stanley Bahorek as Associate Director and Music Supervisor, A Strange Loop will be co-produced by DAT and VOCA with productions to be mounted in both Washington, D.C. and Austin, TX Summer 2025.
“This collaborative partnership is a significant opportunity for us to elevate the representation and raise awareness of the talents of Black Deaf individuals in musical theater,” agreed VOCA Artistic Director Michelle Banks and DAT Artistic Director Dr. Brian Cheslik.
Auditions will take place this fall with casting to be completed in late November/early December.
Full cast and creatives to be announced at a later date.
A STRANGE LOOP presented by Deaf Austin Theatre and Visionaries of the Creative Artists
Music, Book, and Lyrics by Michael R. Jackson
Directed by Alexandria Wailes with Stanley Bahorek as Associate Director and Music Supervisor
Washington, D.C.: July 23 – August 10, 2025
Austin, TX: August 29 – September 14, 2025
Meet Usher: a black, Deaf queer writer writing a musical about a black, Deaf queer writer writing a musical about a Black, Deaf queer writer. Winner of the Tony Award® for Best Musical, Michael R. Jackson’s Pulitzer Prize–winning, blisteringly funny masterwork exposes the heart and soul of a young artist grappling with desires, identity, and instincts he both loves and loathes. Hell-bent on breaking free of his own self-perception, Usher wrestles with the thoughts in his head, brought to life on stage by a hilarious, straight-shooting ensemble. Bold and heartfelt in its truth-telling, A Strange Loop is the big, Black, Deaf and queer-ass Great American Musical for all!
About the Directing Team:
Alexandria Wailes: Directing: A Not So Quiet Nocturne, Once on This Island, Spring Awakening (co-dir.), Deaf Spotlight’s 2023 Short Play Festival. Acting: Broadway: for colored girls, Spring Awakening, Big River. Off-Broadway/Regional: for colored girls, I Was Most Alive with You, Oedipus, Our Town. TV: CW’s ‘The Flash’, ‘Little America’, ‘High Maintenance’. DASL: Broadway: King Lear, Children of a Lesser God. Regional: Private Jones. www.alexandriawailes.com
Stanley Bahorek: Producing: co-founder MindsEyeProducing.com; Charles Mee’s soot and spit; Sheila andRedemption Story by The Associates, and the film Sign. Acting: Broadway’s Spelling Bee, Amazing Grace, Company. Off-Broadway: See Rock City, Queen of the Mist, February House, etc. TV: Master of None. Teaching: Princeton, AMDA. Currently: Community Engagement and Development, Georgetown University. Education: BFA University of Michigan, MA Baruch College.
About Deaf Austin Theatre (DAT):
Deaf Austin Theatre (DAT) is dedicated to creating compelling and inclusive theatrical experiences that celebrate Deaf culture and the Deaf community. Under the artistic direction of Dr. Brian Cheslik, DAT has become a leading force in expanding the representation of Deaf artists on stage. For more information visit deafaustintheatre.org.
About Visionaries of the Creative Arts (VOCA):
Visionaries of the Creative Arts (VOCA) is a renowned theatre company committed to innovative storytelling and creative exploration. Artistic Director Michelle Banks has led VOCA in producing transformative performances that push boundaries and engage diverse audiences. For more information visit vocarts.org.
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