Douglas Lyons' Chicken & Biscuits has been acquired for licensing by Broadway Licensing's Dramatists Play Service imprint. The work made its Broadway debut at Circle in the Square Theatre in 2021 following a world premiere at Queens Theatre in the Park in 2020.
Chicken & Biscuits follows the Jenkins family as they come together to celebrate the life of their father. Eldest daughter, Baneatta, wants everything to be perfect. Self-proclaimed favorite daughter, Beverly, would rather honor her dad by dressing to show off. Teenage granddaughter, La’trice, can’t mind her own business. Plus, there’s grandson Kenny and his Jewish boyfriend Logan. Then, everything starts to unravel when a family secret shows up at the funeral.
The work marked Lyons' Broadway debut as a playwright, but he's no stranger to the Main Stem. As a performer, Lyons has appeared in both Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and The Book of Mormon. Lyons' writing credits also include Fraggle Rock on Apple TV+, Polkadots at Atlantic Theater Company's Atlantic for Kids Off-Broadway, and Beau at Adirondack Theatre Festival. He was a 2020 Jonathan Larson Grant finalist with writing partner Ethan D. Pakchar.
"Elated is an understatement," says Lyons. "To know that Chicken & Biscuits will live on in theatres around the world, employing Black women and queer actors, fills my heart. May audiences everywhere feel the love, laughter, and healing we experienced at Circle in The Square. The recipe (the script) is now available for all to feast. This is a playwright’s dream come true."
The Broadway production starred Norm Lewis, Michael Urie, Cleo King, NaTasha Yvette Williams, Devere Rogers, Ebony Marshall-Oliver, Aigner Mizzelle, and Alana Raquel Bowers. Zhailon Levingston, the youngest Black auteur in Broadway history, helmed the production, leading a creative team that included scenic designer Lawrence E. Moten III, costume designer Dede Ayite, lighting designer Adam Honoré, sound designer Twi McCallum, and wig, hair, and makeup designer Nikiya Mathis.
For more information and to license Chicken & Biscuits, visit BroadwayLicensing.com.