One arm in the air, a jeweled crown and a thumbs-up from the floor: the company of The King’s Critique packs in front of the logo wall in the Linney lobby after opening night at the Pershing Square Signature Center, in photos by Russ Rowland released on November 13.
The new musical comedy opened on Thursday, November 12, at The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre, one of the houses inside The Pershing Square Signature Center at 480 West 42nd Street. It is a limited engagement and runs through December 20.
In the company shot, Matthew Patrick Quinn has his arm up under a crown, and Nat Zegree kneels front and center in a pastel checkerboard suit with both thumbs raised. On the red carpet the leads came through alone and in pairs: Taylor Iman Jones in gold brocade, Sky Lakota-Lynch flashing two peace signs, and Justin Collette in a green printed robe. Jones and Lakota-Lynch posed beside the opening-night cake, three tiers finished in gold leaf and topped with a crown.
Brian Stokes Mitchell, who voices the Narrator, joined Jones on the carpet and posed with lead producers Meg Fofonoff and Jordan Fisher. The pictures also catch the writers, Eric Holmes and Zegree, together; director Catie Davis with choreographer Nancy Renee Braun; Donna Lynne Champlin, who plays Cora; and the show’s band, with Zegree, who is also its music director, in the middle of the line.
Holmes wrote the book and lyrics and Zegree the music and lyrics. The story turns on a royal decree: King Benjamin (Collette) has barred women from the stage, and Josephine (Jones) sets out to overturn the ban with the help of Sebastian (Lakota-Lynch), a tenor with a reputation. The scheme goes about as smoothly as any plan made by theater people.
Jones, Lakota-Lynch, Collette, Champlin and Quinn lead a company that also includes Gabi Carrubba, Gilbert L. Bailey II, Bridget Beirne, Nick Cearley, Christian Fary, Timothy Matthew Flores, Amy Jo Jackson, Kamal Lado, Johanna Moise, Geena Quintos and Justin Sudderth. Kyrie Courter, Brandon Stonestreet and Ryan Everett Wood are the understudies. Art Lab Productions and Jordan Fisher Theatrics produce, with Lisa Dozier Shacket as executive producer.
Rowland has followed the show from the start: he shot the company in the rehearsal room and again for the first production photos a week before opening.
Five weeks of the run remain. Tickets for The King’s Critique are on sale here.
