DON'T LOOK SO DAMN SURPRISED Will Come to MilkyWay Theatre Company
Performances will run September 16th, 20th, 22nd, and 27th, 2026.
MilkyWay Theatre Company will present Don't Look so Damn Surprised by Malaika Tinashe, premiering at the Tank NYC in the heart of Manhattan in New York City. Performances will run September 16th, 20th, 22nd, and 27th, 2026.
Through the lens of Black life, the play explores love, pain, resilience, and the stories we inherit about who deserves to be feared. And who deserves to be heard. Directed by Damayanti Wallace, this powerful new work reclaims one of mythology's most misunderstood figures, inviting audiences to see her story in an entirely new light. Starring Aubree Dixon as Megan, Destiny Nyree as Erika, Zaria Bunn as Simone, S Brian Jones as Peter/Larry, Justine J Hall as Heaven/Harmony, Isavel Mendoza as Baby Boy/Amir, Anthony Othello Pratt, Jr. as Zion/Pastor, Cleon Ony as Pierce, Edwina Asantewaa as Aniyah
Playwright Malaika Tinashe brings a bold new perspective to one of mythology's most misunderstood figures, reimagining Medusa through a modern, all-Black lens. Her original work has been developed through the New York Theater Festival, the wild project's Queer Short Play Festival, and PushPush Arts. DON'T LOOK SO DAMN SURPRISED was featured in a self-produced reading at Theaterlab (2024) and Murmuration Theatre Company's Reading Series (2025).
Drawing from the love, pain, and resilience she's experienced and witnessed within the Black community, Malaika's play explores a side of Medusa's story that has rarely been told. Through this powerful retelling, she invites audiences to question who gets labeled the monster and what happens when we finally hear her side of the story. With Lead Producers Jamiel T Burkhart, Joshua Blount, and Kayla Stewart this production is in association with MilkyWay Theatre Company.
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