Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Tom Morello's New Musical Announces Cast

The world premiere of the new punk/metal/hip-hop musical Revolution(s) opens the Goodman’s centennial ’25-’26 season in the Owen Theatre, October 4-November 9. The musical features music and lyrics by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine/Audioslave), book by Zayd Ayers Dohrn (The Profane), and direction by Steve H. Broadnax III (Thoughts of a Colored Man). Additional lyrics are by Boots Riley, Big Boi, Killer Mike, Knife Party, Grandson, Ryan Harvey, Matt Shultz, Chris Stapleton, and Anne Preven.

The cast features Jackie Burns (Wicked), Jakeim Hart (Almost Famous), Michael Earvin Martin (The Color Purple), Al’Jaleel McGhee (Lady in the Lake), Aaron James McKenzie (A Beautiful Noise), Billy Rude, and Alysia Velez (Into the Woods). The ensemble includes Haley Gustafson, Christopher Kelley, Eric A. Lewis, Jarais Musgrove, AJ Paramo, and Kendal Marie Wilson. Understudies are Joseph Anthony Byrd, Daryn Whitney Harrell, and Ty Shay.

In Revolution(s), soldier and aspiring musician Hampton Falk-Weems (Aaron James McKenzie) comes home from Afghanistan to find that the South Side of Chicago is also occupied territory—and he’s accidentally joined the resistance.

Arrangements and orchestrations are by music supervisor Jason Michael Webb. Choreography is by Millicent Johnnie. The creative team also includes set designer Derek McLane, costume designer Raquel Adorno, lighting designer Greg Hofmann, sound designer Stephanie Farina, projections designer Rasean Davonté Johnson, intimacy and violence coordinators Greg Geffrard and Sheryl Williams, and dramaturg Kat Zukaitis.