Paradise Square is a stage musical, with music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Masi Asare and Nathan Tysen, and a book by Christina Anderson, Larry Kirwan and Craig Lucas. Set in New York City during the Civil War and the New York City draft riots, the musical follows conflict between Irish Americans and Black Americans. The production is directed by Moisés Kaufman and choreographed by Bill T. Jones, with intimacy direction by Gaby Labotka. The musical opened on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on April 3, 2022.
The show received mixed reviews from critics, and earned 10 nominations at the 75th Tony Awards, including Best Musical, with Joaquina Kalukango winning Best Actress.
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Hard Times: An American Musical
Paradise Square is based on Hard Times: An American Musical, written and conceived by Kirwan, which was originally presented Off-Broadway in September of 2012 at The Cell Theatre as part of Origin Theatre Company's 1st Irish Festival. Directed by Kira Simring, the cast included Jed Peterson as Stephen Foster, Jennifer Lorae as Jane Foster, Almeria Campbell as Nelly Blythe, James Sasser as Michael Jenkins, Stephane Duret as Thomas Jefferson, and John Charles McLaughlin as Owen Duignan. The production was named a "Critic's Pick" by The New York Times.
Production history
Berkeley (2018)
The musical premiered at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in Berkeley, California on December 27, 2018, for a limited run which was extended to March 3, 2019.
Chicago (2021)
It had a pre-Broadway run at the Nederlander Theatre in Chicago from November 2 to December 5, 2021. The production opened to mostly positive reviews.
Broadway (2022)
The musical began previews at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York City on March 15, 2022, prior to an official opening on April 3, 2022. It received mixed reviews and was subsequently closed briefly due to widespread COVID-19 issues amongst the cast and crew.
On July 11, 2022, it was announced the musical would play its final Broadway performance on July 17, due to low ticket sales. After several cast members and stage managers spoke out against the working conditions and unpaid benefits, Actors' Equity announced plans to put producer Garth Drabinsky on the "Do Not Work" list, effectively banning him from producing any future Broadway shows.
An Original Broadway Cast Recording was expected to be released in September 2022, with a national tour in development for the 2023-24 season, and international productions also in the works. However, due to financial and legal dealings with Drabinsky, the album was placed on hold with no date determined for the album release as of January 2023.
Musical numbers
Berkeley (2018)
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Chicago (2021)
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Broadway (2022)
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