Lackawanna Blues
1 hour and 40 minutes no intermission
Lackawanna Blues - 2021 Broadway History , Info & More
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (Broadway)
261 W. 47th St. New York, NY 10036
Tony Award winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson returns to MTC for the Broadway debut of his brilliant solo play celebrating the strong, big-hearted woman who raised him: Miss Rachel. In a 1950s boarding house outside Buffalo, Nanny, as she was affectionately called, opened her doors to anyone and everyone in need of kindness, hope, compassion and care. Giving a tour-de-force performance accompanied by live music written by acclaimed composer Bill Sims, Jr. and performed by Blues Hall of Fame Guitarist Junior Mack, Santiago-Hudson embodies more than 20 vibrant characters, creating a richly textured reminiscence that’s inspiring, uplifting and right at home on Broadway.
Lackawanna Blues - 2021 - Broadway Cast
PREVIEW Lackawanna Blues - 2021 - Broadway
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FEATURED REVIEWS FOR Lackawanna Blues
Lackawanna Blues’ Review: A Soulful Master Class in Storytelling
9 / 10
It always comes back to Nanny, with her stiff back and neatly folded arms; Santiago-Hudson's rendering evokes a Cicely Tyson type, a strong Black matriarch not to be trifled with. His narrative performance is impressive for many reasons, but one of the most nuanced is the way Santiago-Hudson sees it all, as a child eavesdropping and peeking through doorways, with curious and affectionate eyes. He grounds us in the details, which brings not just these characters, but also a whole town to life: the way a woman pops her hips, the way a man coughs, even the particular tint of the Lackawanna snow. After all, people may think the blues are about heartbreak, but to get to heartbreak, you first have to pass through love.
Lackawanna Blues
8 / 10
An accomplished actor and director, Santiago-Hudson has performed Lackawanna Blues many times since its debut at the Public Theater in 2001, and he knows how to keep it moving in this Manhattan Theatre Club revival. From a perch on the left side of the stage, guitarist Junior Mack provides smartly integrated blues underscoring and vocals, playing original music by Bill Sims Jr. (and occasionally joined by Santiago-Hudson on harmonica); Jen Schriever's lighting gradually reveals previously imperceptible elements of Michael Carnahan's deceptively simple-looking set. There is nothing revolutionary about Lackawanna Blues, but it is a loving and skillful evocation of a formidable Black woman and the community she was able to create, through the force of her character, in a world of lack and want. It satisfies a hunger that Broadway seldom serves.
by Stephi Wild - October 22, 2021
Manhattan Theatre Club's Broadway premiere of Ruben Santiago-Hudson's Lackawanna Blues will add additional performances on Tuesday, November 9 at 7PM, Wednesday, November 10 at 2PM, Thursday, November 11 at 7PM and Friday, November 12 at 8PM at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street).
by Chloe Rabinowitz - October 12, 2021
Lynne Meadow (Artistic Director) and Barry Grove (Executive Producer) have announced that Manhattan Theatre Club’s Broadway premiere of Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s Lackawanna Blues will extend for one additional week of performances, now playing through Sunday, November 7 at MTC’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street).
by Chloe Rabinowitz - October 8, 2021
Performances of Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s Lackawanna Blues have been cancelled for this weekend due to a recurrence of Ruben Santiago-Hudson's back injury.
by A.A. Cristi - October 7, 2021
Tony Award winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson returns to MTC for the Broadway debut of his brilliant solo play celebrating the strong, big-hearted woman who raised him: Miss Rachel.
by A.A. Cristi - October 7, 2021
Manhattan Theatre Club's Broadway premiere of Ruben Santiago-Hudson's Lackawanna Blues, opens tonight at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Read all the reviews as they roll in!
by Nicole Rosky - September 29, 2021
Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director and Barry Grove, Executive Producer)’s Broadway premiere of Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s Lackawanna Blues, now playing at MTC’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street). The show will open next Thursday, October 7.
by A.A. Cristi - September 27, 2021
Manhattan Theatre Club will postpone the opening night performance of Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s Lackawanna Blues as the veteran performer, writer, and director continues to recover from a back injury sustained last week.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - September 24, 2021
Ruben Santiago-Hudson had a back injury this week. As a result, performances of RUBEN SANTIAGO-HUDSON’s LACKAWANNA BLUES are cancelled this evening and over the weekend.
by Nicole Rosky - September 23, 2021
The Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director and Barry Grove, Executive Producer) Broadway premiere of Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s Lackawanna Blues is now in performances and will open next Tuesday, September 28 at MTC’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street).
by Bruce Glikas - September 16, 2021
On Tuesday night, Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s Lackawanna Blues debuted on Broadway at Manhattan Theatre Club’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street, NYC), following the theater going dark for 18 months during the COVID-19 pandemic.
by A.A. Cristi - September 15, 2021
Manhattan Theatre Club reopened its doors today with the first preview of Ruben Santiago-Hudson's Lackawanna Blues, which reopens MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre!
by Chloe Rabinowitz - September 13, 2021
Manhattan Theatre Club will reopen its doors tomorrow, Tuesday, September 14, when the Broadway premiere of Ruben Santiago-Hudson’s Lackawanna Blues begins performances at MTC’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street).
by Stephi Wild - August 10, 2021
Ruben Santiago-Hudson's Lackawanna Blues is written, performed, and directed by Tony Award winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson (August Wilson's Jitney, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom on Netflix). Learn more about the production and how to purchase tickets here!
by Stephi Wild - July 26, 2021
Ruben Santiago-Hudson's Lackawanna Blues begins performances Tuesday, September 14, 2021 and opens Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre The show is written, performed, and directed by Tony Award winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Learn more about the production and how to purchase tickets here!
Lackawanna Blues History
Other Productions of Lackawanna Blues
| 2001 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 2021 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
Lackawanna Blues - 2021 Broadway Awards and Nominations
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Play | Ruben Santiago-Hudson |
| 2022 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Music in a Play | Bill Sims Jr. |
| 2022 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Lackawanna Blues |
| 2022 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Awards | Ruben Santiago-Hudson |
| 2022 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Lighting Design (Play or Musical) | Jen Schreiver |
| 2022 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Special Achievement Awards | Ruben Santiago-Hudson |
| 2022 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play | Ruben Santiago-Hudson |
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