A tenor in a striped doublet sweeps a would-be leading lady across a bare wooden stage, a jagged fence of weathered boards behind them. The first production photos from The King’s Critique are out, with the new musical comedy in previews at the Pershing Square Signature Center ahead of its opening on Thursday, November 12.
Russ Rowland shot the company onstage in The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre, where performances began on November 3. The frames are all saturated color against black: Justin Collette’s King Benjamin, mouth wide open, in a floral coat and a ruffled pink shirt; a figure in a purple gown, arms flung wide, at the center of the full company; the ensemble mid-number under a ring of spotlights; and Taylor Iman Jones standing on a chair between red curtains, arms raised.
The story turns on a royal ban. King Benjamin has forbidden women from performing onstage, and Josephine (Jones) is set on overturning it. She draws Sebastian, the court’s womanizing tenor (Sky Lakota-Lynch), into an elaborate scheme, and it unravels about as neatly as any plan made by a room full of theater people. The show bills itself as “Bridgerton” meets “South Park.”
Nat Zegree wrote the music and lyrics, and Eric Holmes wrote the book and co-wrote the lyrics. Catie Davis directs, with choreography by Nancy Renee Braun. The sets are by Paul Tate dePoo III, the costumes by Emily Rebholz, the lighting by Cory Pattak and the sound by Jessica Paz. Five of the songs came out in 2025 as a concept album on Joy Machine Records.
Lakota-Lynch, a Tony nominee for The Outsiders, and Jones lead a company that also includes Donna Lynne Champlin, Matthew Patrick Quinn, 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 (producer Meg Fofonoff) and Jordan Fisher Theatrics (producer Jordan Fisher) lead the producing team, with Lisa Dozier Shacket as executive producer.
Rowland also photographed the company in the rehearsal room in September, when the show began rehearsals. It is one of the titles in our guide to new Broadway and Off-Broadway shows opening soon.
The limited engagement runs at The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre, inside The Pershing Square Signature Center at 480 West 42nd Street. Tickets for The King’s Critique are on sale here.
