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Trevor Noah definitely made Black Theater Night unforgettable with 'A Strange Loop'

The countdown to see A Strange Loop at least 100 more times before its final performance next year is a key mission but in the meantime, it’s worth taking a moment to geek out over the amazing ‘Daily Show’ host Trevor Noah holding down the must-see production by hosting Black Theater Night for Michael R. Jackson’s Broadway musical.

Last night Trevor Noah, comedian, author and acclaimed host of The Daily Show, hosted a “Black Theater Night” for the Tony-winning Best Musical A Strange Loop, complete with a hilarious and insightful cast talkback. The event was open to all theater lovers, but offered a special invitation to Black theatergoers.

Playwright, Composer and Lyricist Michael R. Jackson, creator of A Strange Loop; Choreographer Raja Feather Kelly and Musical Director Rona Siddiqui joined Noah and cast members James Jackson, Jr.; L Morgan Lee; John-Michael Lyles; John-Andrew Morrison; Jon-Michael Reese; Jaquel Spivey and Jason Veasey for the talkback.  

“I’ve now been to A Strange Loop four times and it’s funny [but] every single time I come I feel like I’m focusing on something different, I’m learning something different and there’s a different part of the play that almost gets revealed to me,” said Noah, who called the show, “one of the most spoken about and one of the most lauded productions on Broadway.” The comic also congratulated the show on its recent Grammy Award nomination for Best Musical Theater Album.

Noah further said: “What I find interesting about it in particular is the first time you watch the play, for instance, you may think, depending on who you are, ‘Oh, this is a play about Black and white.’ The second time you watch it you may go, ‘Oh no. This is a play about religion and how it controls people’s lives and how it tells us how we should be or shouldn’t be.’ Then it becomes about acceptance. Each time it feels like there is a different layer. And really, the more I watch it, I realize it almost feels like a commentary on all these little prisons, all these structures, all these systems and I guess the most confining one being our minds.”

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