Broadway-Aimed Musical GRACE Continues Development in Orlando

Grace, a new musical aiming to land on Broadway or a big national tour, has gone back to development at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts after a first run of public performances last year. The arts center announced it hosted its creators and creative team, including Nolan Williams, Jr. (music, lyrics and co-book writer) and Robert Barry Fleming(director and choreographer), for a two-week workshop to keep developing new ideas. They also scouted local talent that later joined the rest of the cast from Los Angeles to New York to D.C. The arts center financed and supported all aspects of the workshop to be a creative and supportive venue for developing new productions that aspire to tour the country and the world. 

“The project has a bright future, and I’m really thrilled to come to Dr. Phillips Center to pursue new ideas,” said Nolan Williams Jr., Grace’s award-winning creator, producer, composer, lyricist and book co-writer (with Nikkole Salter). “The time that we have here will set the trajectory for the project. Our goal is to hone the book and the story, based on what the team learned from the premiere run in D.C. They're developing the characters more, especially their relationships with each other, and also changing some of the music and exploring further the themes of culture and family values, which are at the heart of Grace.” 

Through about two dozen solo and choral numbers, Grace shows a day in the life of South Philly’s Minton family. The Mintons have a long connection with African American food traditions through their restaurant, which they've owned and run for more than 100 years. But the restaurant is more than just their source of income, it’s a way of life. On this day, they all come together to mourn the loss of their family matriarch, make preparations for the memorial and talk about the future. Along the way, the audience learns about what’s going to happen with the restaurant, whose fate is in question because of gentrification and the intrusion of big corporations on small businesses, and most importantly, they learn about family dynamics. 

“Grace really captures that sense of community, while doing rigorous, ingenious, extraordinary work. So, it feels apt that we get to do it at Dr. Phillips Center, a place known for innovation and placemaking,” added Robert Barry Fleming.