Deon'te Goodman and Jennifer Leigh Warren to Star in Reading of New Bio-Musical
(Handout Images)
Deon'te Goodman (Hamilton) and Jennifer Leigh Warren (Big River) will star in an online reading of the new musical Bayard, written by Richard Allen and Taran Gray. The reading, taking place July 8 at 8pm ET, will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Broadway for Racial Justice.
The musical explores the life of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, and his construction of the March on Washington, and the obstacles he encountered from all sides for being an openly gay black man. Goodman will take on the title role, which he sang in a 2019 concert production, alongside Warren, who will play Bayard Rustin's grandmother Julia.
The company will also include Edred Utomi as John Lewis, Patrick Ortiz as Paolo Santiago, John Devreux, Aja Downing, April Josephine, Nathan Nonhoff, Kürt Norby, Kayla Pecchioni, Kevin Pollack, Scott Redmond, and Cartreze Tucker.
Bayard will be directed by Ryan Norton, with movement by Lonnie Hughes and musical direction by Ahmed A. Alabaca.
This show is part of a four-night festival of Allen and Gray's work, which also includes their musicals Legendary (July 7), Walt and Roy (July 9), and Freedom Riders: The Civil Rights Musical (July 10).
Tickets are available for purchase here.
