Ain’t Too Proud Tony Nominee Ephraim Sykes Joins Off-Broadway's Black No More Musical

Ain’t Too Proud Tony nominee Ephraim Sykes (Hamilton, Hairspray Live!) has joined the cast of the New Group's world premiere production of Black No More. The new musical, inspired by George S. Schuyler’s 1931 Afrofuturist novel of the same name set during the Harlem Renaissance, will be presented January 11–February 27, 2022, at The Pershing Square Signature Center. Opening night is scheduled for February 8.

Directed by Scott Elliott with choreography by Tony winner Bill T. Jones, the production will also feature the previously reported Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter of The Roots—who also composed the show—along with Brandon Victor Dixon (Hamilton, Power), Tony winner Lillias White (Chicago, The Life), Jennifer Damiano (Next to Normal), Tamika Lawrence (If/Then), Theo Stockman (American Psycho), Tracy Shayne (Bronx Bombers), and Tony winner Walter Bobbie (Chicago, Guys and Dolls). Additional casting will be announced later.

//assets.playbill.com/editorial/c8d78d1d51e3f7161e6970f6abb05cae-2015-02-05-tariqgrunya.jpeg — Tarik Trotter Douglas Gorenstein

Black No More features music and lyrics by Trotter and a book by John Ridley as well as music supervision, orchestrations, and vocal arrangements by Daryl Waters.

The musical, originally announced for fall 2020, tells the story of Max Disher (Dixon), who’s eager to try the mysterious machine invented by Dr. Junius Crookman (Trotter) that guarantees to “solve the American race problem"—by turning Black people white.

The upcoming staging will also feature music direction and dance arrangements by Zane Mark, scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Qween Jean, lighting design by Jeff Croiter, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, and casting by The Telsey Office's Rebecca Scholl and Kristian Charbonier. The production stage manager is Valerie A. Peterson, Nicole Iovino as assistant stage manager.