Readings and WorkshopsLoretta Devine and More Set for Reading of Tituss Burgess’ ThePreacher’s Wife MusicalMichael Arden, director of Broadway's current Once On This Island revival, will helm the upcoming industry presentation.
By
Ryan McPhee
November 21, 2017
Tituss Burgess’ The Preacher’s Wife musical will receive an industry presentation in New York December 11 with a cast that includes nine-time Grammy nominee Ledisi and Loretta Devine, who both appeared in a reading last September.
Tony nominee Michael Arden, director of the current revival of Once On This Island, will helm the new presentation, according to Entertainment Weekly. He joins the project after Stafford Arima directed the 2016 reading.
Ledisi will again take on the role of Julia, played on screen in the 1996 film by Whitney Houston. Also taking part is Loretta Devine, who appeared as secretary Beverly in the movie; here, she’ll play Julia’s mother.
The cast will also include Tony nominee Clifton Davis as Deacon Lewis, Quentin Earl Darrington as Reverend Henry Biggs, Donald Webber as Dudley, Alan Green as Joe Hamilton, Jian Harrell as Jeremiah, Abebaw Silver as Hakim, Gerry McIntyre as Deacon Johnson, Q. Smith as Delphine Lewis and Beverly, and Ashley Jenkins as Ilona Johnson.
Burgess, a Broadway favorite and Emmy nominee for Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, wrote the score, while Azie Dungey, a writer for the Netflix comedy, has boarded the project as book writer. The earlier presentation featured a book by Daniel Beaty.