Announcing MS. BLAKK FOR PRESIDENT By Tarell Alvin McCraney And Tina Landau

Steppenwolf Theatre Company announced today it will produce the world premiere of MS. BLAKK FOR PRESIDENT co-written by ensemble members Tina Landau (SpongeBob Squarepants: The Broadway Musical) and Tarell Alvin McCraney (Moonlight, Academy Award) as the sixth production in the 2018/19 season. Conceived by Tina Landau, she also directs this true and untold Chicago story that will star Tarell Alvin McCraney in the lead role. Previews begin May 23, 2019 (opening is June 3 at 7pm) and the production runs through July 14, 2019 in the Upstairs Theatre, 1650 N Halsted St. Press Performances are Monday, June 3 at 7pm and Wednesday, June 5 at 7:30pm. Single tickets ($20-$94) go on sale at a later date at 312-335-1650 or steppenwolf.org. Members have pre-sale ticket access.

Meet Ms. Joan Jett Blakk as she sets off on her journey to run for President of the United States. Inspired by the true story of America's first black drag queen presidential candidate, Joan's story begins in Chicago; it's 1992 and, with the AIDS crisis at its height, Joan and the newly formed Queer Nation Chicago have big goals in mind. Joan sets off on an exhilarating and dangerous journey to drag queer politics out of the closet and into a future where ALL are visible and ALL have a place at the table. Part campaign rally, part nightclub performance, part confessional, and all PARTY!, MS. BLAKK FOR PRESIDENT takes us into the heart and mind of one of Chicago's most radical and influential citizens.

MS. BLAKK FOR PRESIDENT will be produced in place of the previously announced production of Tarell Alvin McCraney's WIG OUT!, which was also to be directed by Tina Landau and star McCraney. MS. BLAKK FOR PRESIDENT will run in the same time slot as the previously announced show, no show dates will change.

On the new show selection Tarell Alvin McCraney shares, "The Drag House culture that WIG OUT! embodies is at its core mutable; the play even says so in the beginning, "By the time the play is produced, assuming it would be produced, all of the language and song may be antiquated." This has become real true. AND THANK GOD FOR IT. I still hope to revisit and revise WIG OUT!, but for now Tina and I want to focus on something that is current and bold and allows me to use some tools that I haven't exercised in a while: my acting. We couldn't be more excited to bring MS. BLAKK FOR PRESIDENT to Chicago."

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