A Strange Loop wins 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Michael R. Jackson's A Strange Loop made its world premiere Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in 2019.

The New York Theatre Guide congratulates Michael R. Jackson, who has been awarded the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his celebrated musical A Strange Loop and will receive a $15,000 reward.

Produced by Playwrights Horizons in association with Page 73, A Strange Loop staged its world premiere off-Broadway from May through July 2019, opening to excellent reviews.

Synopsis: "Usher is a black, gay writer, working a day job he hates while writing his original musical: a piece about a black, gay writer, working a day job he hates while writing his original musical. Michael R. Jackson's blistering, momentous new musical follows a young artist at war with a host of demons - not least of which, the punishing thoughts in his own head - in an attempt to break out of this strange loop."

The meta-musical was directed by Stephen Brackett, choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly, and starred Larry Owens (as Usher) alongside L Morgan Lee (as Thought #1), James Jackson, Jr. (as Thought #2), John-Michael Lyles (as Thought #3), John-Andrew Morrison (as Thought #4), Jason Veasey (as Thought #5), and Antwayn Hopper (as Thought #6).

A Strange Loop also earned a total of seven Lucille Lortel Award nominations; more than any other Off-Broadway production in the 2019-2020 season. Larry Owens and John-Andrew Morrison managed to take home the awards for 'Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical' and 'Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical,' respectively, as previously reported.

Michael R. Jackson has now joined a small, elite club of Pulitzer winners who have won the prize for a musical. Past winners include Hamilton, Rent, Next to Normal, Sunday in the Park with George, Fiorello, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Of Thee I Sing, South Pacific and A Chorus Line.

^{(Photo by Joan Marcus)}