AT MARIST UNIVERSITY & THE BARDAVON
With music and lyrics by John Legend, BOOM FOR REAL is a love letter to genius, to Black art, and to the radical act of mourning out loud.
Experience the next chapter of BOOM FOR REAL before anyone else! Hear never-before-heard demos by John Legend, see selected scenes from the musical, and join Obie Award-winning writer Marcus Gardley (The Color Purple, 2023) for a behind-the-scenes look at this new musical about Jean-Michel Basquiat.
BOOM FOR REAL
Music by John Legend
Book by Marcus Gardley
Directed by Kamilah Forbes
BOOM FOR REAL is a new musical that tracks the meteoric rise and mysterious spirit of Jean-Michel Basquiat, the Brooklyn-born artist who became one of the most celebrated painters of the twentieth century. When Basquiat dies young, his soul is left unmoored — bound to this world by his father's unspoken grief — and the only way forward is a negotiation with Baron Samedi himself. Part elegy, part mystery, and part celebration, the show asks what it means to be chosen, to be seen, and to finally let go. With music and lyrics by John Legend, BOOM FOR REAL is a love letter to genius, to Black art, and to the radical act of mourning out loud. ​
BOOM FOR REAL is presented in cooperation with The Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Significant support from Ina Meibach and Barbara Manocherian, and additional support from Nick Daly.
Saturday, July 25
Symphonic Hall at Marist University
4:00pm
​This performance will be fully bilingual in American Sign Language (ASL) and spoken English.
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Marcus Gardley | Bookwriter
Marcus Gardley is an acclaimed poet, playwright, and screenwriter who wrote the screenplay for the reimagining of THE COLOR PURPLE (2023) which won 11 NAACP Awards - the most nominations and wins in history. He won the 2022 WGA award for Best Adapted TV Longform Series for MAID (Netflix). He is the recipient of the 2019 Doris Duke Artist Award. He is a 2019 Obie Award winner for his play THE HOUSE THAT WILL NOT STAND, the 2015 Glickman Award winner, and a finalist for the 2016 and 2015 Kennedy Prize. Other plays include X: OR, BETTY SHABAZZ V. THE NATION, BLACK ODYSSEY (2023 Drama Desk nomination), THE GOSPEL OF LOVINGKINDNESS, EVERY TONGUE CONFESS, …AND JESUS MOONWALKS THE MISSISSIPPI, and THE ROAD WEEPS, THE WELL RUNS DRY. In TV, he has written for several series, including Boots Riley’s I’M A VIRGO (Amazon), THE CHI (Showtime), FOUNDATION (Apple), NOS4A2 (AMC), TALES OF THE CITY (Netflix), and MINDHUNTER (Netflix). Most recently, Marcus is developing an adaptation of Percival Everett’s award-winning novel, THE TREES for Universal Global Television, starring Sterling K. Brown. Gardley was born and raised in Oakland, California. He is the current Co-Chair of the Playwriting Program at The David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University
John Legend | Music and Lyrics/Composer
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Kamilah Forbes | Director
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Brandon Michael Nase | Music Supervisor
Brandon Michael Nase is a multi-disciplinary artist currently based in New York City. Brandon is celebrated for the versatility of his instrument, his powerful vision as an artist/producer, and his commitment to social justice. Brandon currently works as a producer, educator, and music director/supervisor. He can also still be seen performing across the country, most recently starring in LITTLE ISLANDS, THE GOSPEL AT COLONUS. He Music Supervised the London revival of PASSING STRANGE at the Young Vic in the Spring of 2024. He has been a guest teaching artist at Texas State University, Missouri State University, Pace University and an adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University. He holds a Bachelor of Music in choral music education from the renowned University of North Texas College of Music and received his Master of Music in Performance (Music Theatre) from NYU Steinhardt. @brandonmichaelnase
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Sara Gammage | Stage Manager
Sara is excited to be back for a second season at S&F. Broadway credits: PROOF, CHESS, ALL IN: COMEDY ABOUT LOVE, HAMILTON. Tours: SIX, HAMILTON, MOTOWN. Regional credits: Porchlight Music Theatre, Court Theatre, Paramount Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and Lookingglass Theatre. Proud graduate of Northwestern University and also holds a MLIS from Kent State University and a Paralegal Certificate from the University of California – San Diego. Enjoys chocolate chip cookies, scary movies, and air hockey. Thanks to my family.
CAST
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Daniel Breaker | The Father
BROADWAY: HADESTOWN, ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, HAMILTON, THE BOOK OF MORMON, THE PERFORMERS, SHREK: THE MUSICAL (Drama Desk nomination), PASSING STRANGE (Tony Award nomination, Drama Desk nomination, Theatre World Award, Audelco Award), CYMBELINE, and WELL. OFF-BROADWAY: LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST, BY THE WAY, MEET VERA STARK, PASSING STRANGE, FABULATION, and PERICLES. LONDON: HADESTOWN and HOW TO ACT AROUND COPS. REGIONAL: JUDGMENT DAY, A DOCTOR IN SPITE OF HIMSELF, LIFE IS A DREAM, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS (Helen Hayes nomination), THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE, THE TEMPEST (Helen Hayes nomination), A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, THE RIVALS, THE SILENT WOMAN, H.M.S. PINAFORE, BLACK SHEEP, and SUNDANCE THEATER LAB. FILM: SISTERS, LIMITLESS, HE’S WAY MORE FAMOUS THAN YOU, RED HOOK SUMMER, and PASSING STRANGE. TELEVISION: BILLIONS, GIRLS5EVA, THE GOOD FIGHT, UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT, MOZART IN THE JUNGLE, UNFORGETTABLE, and LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT. UPCOMING: THE ROMAN (Netflix).
Jennie Jarney-Fleming | The Mother
Jennie Harney-Fleming is a native New Yorker and powerful vocalist who has had the privilege of performing on Broadway for the last decade. She made her Broadway debut in 2016 as Nettie in the Tony and Grammy Award-winning THE COLOR PURPLE, followed by HAMILTON, where she served as the universal Schuyler Sister standby before stepping into the role of Angelica Schuyler in 2022. Favorite credits also include Creole Mama in Signature Theatre’s AFTER MIDNIGHT, the first national tour of MOTOWN THE MUSICAL, and the Off-Broadway production of PEARL, THE MUSICAL. In 2024, Jennie originated the role of Lil Hardin Armstrong in Broadway’s A WONDERFUL WORLD. In 2026, she joined the Broadway cast of the Tony Award-winning play STRANGER THINGS. Jennie is thrilled to be a part of this remarkable retelling of Basquiat’s life and story and can’t wait to see its impact on the world. IG: @jennieharneyfleming
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Kristolyn Lloyd | Luna
KRISTOLYN LLOYD (she/her) Grammy and Emmy Award Winning Actress. Broadway: LIBERATION, 1776, DEAR EVAN HANSEN (OBC). Off Broadway: LIBERATION (Roundabout), SATURDAY CHURCH (NYTW), PARADISE BLUE, CONFEDERATES (The Signature Theatre), HAMLET, SALLY AND TOM (The Public Theatre), INVISIBLE THREAD and DEAR EVAN HANSEN (Second Stage Theatre), HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL (New World Stages). TV includes: RANDOM ACTS OF FLYNESS (HBO), ELEMENTARY, MADAM SECRETARY, KEVIN CAN WAIT (CBS), ER, CHICAGO MED (NBC), LIE TO ME (FOX) Film: MR. CROCKETT (Hulu) @kristolynlloyd
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Sahr Ngaujah | Docent/Baron
Sahr Ngaujah: American/Sierra Leonean theater actor, director, musician and writer. His theater roots stem from training under Freddie Hendricks, 7-Stages and Push Push Theaters in Atlanta. Most of his early career was spent working in experimental theater in Amsterdam (NL). There, he earned a master’s degree in theater research from Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten (DasArts) while also functioning as Co-Artistic Director of Rotterdams Lef/HAL 4 Theatre Company (2002 -2006). He received a Tony and Olivier Award-nomination for creating and performing the role of Fela Kuti in the FELA! Broadway musical (2009). His second Tony Award nomination was for creating and performing the role of Toulouse Lautrec in MOULIN ROUGE BROADWAY! (2019). On screen, he is best known for his roles in ABC's LAST RESORT (2012), Marvel's LUKE CAGE (2018) and Starz POWER BOOK 2 - GHOST (2024). He is also the voice of the “DOOMFIST” for Blizzard Entertainment’s OVERWATCH.
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Phillip Johnson Richardson | Jean-Michel Basquiat
Phillip was last seen on Broadway in Alicia Key’s Tony Award winning show HELL'S KITCHEN. He recently completed work on the feature film SAMO LIVES starring Kelvin Harrison Jr and Jeffrey Wright in which he portrays Fab Five Freddy and Kevin Kline series AMERICAN CLASSIC on MGM+. He costarred in the A24 feature film SHARPER starring with Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan and John Lithgow on Apple+. He was a series regular in the Apple+ series LITTLE VOICES. Phillip made his Broadway debut as The Tin Man in the revival of THE WIZ. He has worked regionally at Berkeley Rep in GODDESS, The MUNY in NEWSIES, ALL SHOOK UP, JCSS, AIDA, THE MUSIC MAN and his first job after graduating was in the Chicago Company of HAMILTON. His television appearances were guest appearances on THE LAST O.G., CHICAGO P.D., PRESUMED INNOCENT and THE OTHER TWO. He is a native of Charlotte, North Carolina and a graduate of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Phillip has released several of his own singles on all streaming platforms under the moniker of “Phil." @philsgoodmusic