Broadway musical "A Strange Loop" brings message of perseverance you have to see
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- The new musical "A Strange Loop" made history last month when Broadway's best were honored with Tony nominations.
The show earned a total of 11 nods, including one for L. Morgan Lee, who is the first openly transgender performer ever to be recognized in the 75-year history of The Tonys.
Eyewitness News producer Alex Reed went with entertainment reporter Sandy Kenyon, and after the show was over, she said, "more people should know about 'A Strange Loop'."
It's the first Broadway show from Michael R. Jackson, who wrote it over the course of two decades while he worked as an usher on Broadway helping patrons to find their seats at "The Lion King" and various other shows.
By the time he was done, Jackson had changed the face of American theater.
"A Strange Loop" takes you by surprise in the best sense, and after the show earned the most Tony nominations, The Lyceum Theater has been packed with folks who want to discover why it's earned such great reviews.
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Jaquel Spivey plays a Broadway usher who is a lot like Jackson. Spivey is so compelling it's hard to believe he just graduated from college a year ago and earned a Tony nomination for his very first Broadway show.
Half a dozen performers share the stage with him to embody the many thoughts going through the usher's very busy brain.
His challenges loom large. His anguish is evident as he sings at one point, "there's a lot of this rejection which brings such misery." But, his joy shines through as well.
"A Strange Loop" takes its title from an old song by rocker Liz Phair, a fact that hints at the many cultural influences that Jackson has synthesized into a universal message of perseverance.
"A Strange Loop" demonstrates how each of us can overcome self-doubt and shame to silence those negative voices in our heads, and then go on to amaze ourselves with what we can achieve.
If you see one show on Broadway this year, please make it this one. If you've ever listened to one of Sandy Kenyon's recommendations before then, trust him now and go buy a ticket and let "A Strange Loop" rock your world!
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