Howard McGillin . . .

The New Group has announced that the new musical Black No More will begin previews January 18, with an Opening Night set for Tuesday, February 15, at the Pershing Square Signature Center, a schedule update due to Covid-19.  Previews were previously slated to begin January 11.  The show will play thru February 27.

The company has announced that Howard McGillin (The Mystery of Edwin DroodAnything Goes) and Gaelen Gilliland (Legally BlondeSpongebob Squarepants) have joined the cast in the roles for which Walter Bobbie and Katie Thompson, who had to withdraw from the production, were previously announced.  

Gaelen Gilliland

The complete cast features Leanne Antonio, Rhaamell Burke-Missouri, Elijah A. Carter, Jennifer DamianoBrandon Victor DixonRyan Fitzgerald, Gaelen Gilliland, Polanco Jones Jr., Zachary Daniel JonesTamika LawrenceSarah Meahl, Howard McGillan, Mary Page Nance, Oneika Phillips, Nicholas Ranauro, Malaiyka Reid, Mars Rucker, Angela M. Sauers, Tracy ShayneTheo Stockman, Ephraim SykesTariq “Black Thought” TrotterAkron Watson, Nyla Watson, Edward Watts and Lillias White.    

Black No More is a new musical inspired by George S. Schuyler’s Afrofuturist novel set during the Harlem Renaissance. It’s the story of Max Disher (Brandon Victor Dixon), who’s eager to try the mysterious machine invented by Dr. Junius Crookman (Tariq Trotter) that guarantees to “solve the American race problem” —by turning Black people white.  

With Book by Academy Award winner John Ridley (12 Years a Slave); Lyrics by two-time Grammy Award winner Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter (The Roots); Music by Tariq TrotterAnthony TiddJames Poyser and Tony Award winner Daryl Waters (Memphis); Choreography by two-time Tony Award winner Bill T. Jones (Spring Awakening and Fela!), and directed by The New Group’s founding Artistic Director Scott ElliottBlack No More is one Black man’s journey colliding with truths of race and identity.   www.thenewgroup.org