The world premiere of Jason Robert Brown and Taylor Mac's new musical Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil opened July 8 at Chicago's Goodman Theatre, and the reviews are in. Read below to see what critics are saying.
The production, based on John Berendt's 1994 non-fiction book, was recently extended through August 11 in the Albert Theatre. Rob Ashford is directing, and Tanya Birl is choreographing.
The cast is led by Tony winner J. Harrison Ghee, who made history as the first non-binary actor to win a Tony Award, as The Lady Chablis; Tony nominee Tom Hewitt as Jim Williams; and Olivier nominee Sierra Boggess as Emma Dawes.
Read the reviews below.
Chicago Tribune (Chris Jones)*
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Playbill will continue to update this list as reviews come in.
The company also includes Lance Roberts (The Best Man) as Bobby Lewis, Austin Colby (The Great Gatsby) as Danny Hansford, Bailee Endebrock (Parade) as Corrine Strong, Shanel Bailey (The Book of Mormon) as Lavella Cole, Jessica Molaskey (Sunday in the Park with George) as Alma Knox Carter, Brianna Buckley (the ripple, the wave that carried me home) as Minerva, Mary Ernster (War Paint) as Serena Barnes/Dawn Avery, McKinley Carter (Turn of the Century) as Vera Strong, Maya Bowles (The Wiz) as Stacey Brown, DeMarius Copes (Some Like It Hot) as Jeremiah Jones, Sean Donovan as Luther Driggers, Jason Michael Evans (Anastasia tour) as Colonel Atwood/Burt, Christopher Kelley as Bubbles/Gregory, Andre Terrell Malcolm (Hamilton tour) as Josiah Domingo, Aaron James McKenzie (A Beautiful Noise) as Jethro Myles, Wes Olivier as Jack the One-Eyed Jill, Kayla Marie Shipman as Millicent/Mary, and Rory Shirley as Stefanie Davis.
Swings include Calvin L. Cooper, Daryn Whitney Harrell, Kayla Kennedy, Jake DiMaggio Lopez, and Justin Thomas Rivers.
The New York Times best seller tracks an antiques dealer through four trials for murdering a male prostitute in Savannah, Georgia. The story is modeled on the real-life shooting of Daniel Lewis Hansford. The work won the 1995 Boeke Prize and was a finalist for the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction. A film adaptation was released in 1997 starring John Cusack and Kevin Spacey.
The musical also has sets by Tony and Olivier winner Christopher Oram, costumes by Tony nominee Toni-Leslie James, lighting by Tony and Olivier winner Neil Austin, and sound design by Jon Weston. Saori Yokoo is production stage manager. Casting is by Lauren Port and The Telsey Office's Patrick Goodwin.
Visit GoodmanTheatre.org.
J. Harrison Ghee in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Brianna Buckley and cast of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
J. Harrison Ghee and cast of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Tom Hewitt and J. Harrison Ghee in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Tom Hewitt and Sierra Boggess in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Mary Ernster, McKinley Carter, Sierra Boggess, Jessica Molaskey, and Kayla Shipman in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Wes Olivier and J. Harrison Ghee in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Brianna Buckley, Tom Hewitt, and Lance Roberts in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Wes Olivier, Jarvis B. Manning Jr., Rory Shirley, DeMarius R. Copes, Andre Malcolm, Maya Bowles, and Shanel Bailey in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
The Bird Girl statue in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
