Oh Happy Day!
Closing: November 09, 2025Oh Happy Day! - 2025 Off-Broadway History , Info & More
Joseph Papp Public Theater
425 Lafayette Street New York, NY 10003
An impending flood is the least of the Johnson family’s troubles in this outrageous reimagining of Noah’s Ark from Tony Award-nominated writer and director duo Jordan E. Cooper and Stevie Walker-Webb. OH HAPPY DAY! begins in Laurel, MS, at a birthday BBQ for Lewis, the patriarch of the family. Shortly after his estranged son Keyshawn (played by Cooper) makes a surprise appearance, absurdity ensues on a day that will change their world forever. Grammy Award-winning gospel artist Donald Lawrence writes original songs for this biting new play about confronting the divine.
Oh Happy Day! - 2025 - Off-Broadway Cast
FEATURED REVIEWS FOR Oh Happy Day!
'Oh Happy Day!' Off-Broadway review — a modern-day, musical Noah’s Ark tale
8 / 10
Under the direction of Stevie Walker-Webb, Oh Happy Day! covers a lot of ground, but its main theme is the age-old question: What is the role of God in the face of unimaginable suffering? To that, Oh Happy Day! says to "lean not on your own understanding,” before God drops an excellent metaphor about spilled milk and carpet cleaner.
‘Oh Happy Day!’ Off Broadway Review: Noah’s Ark, but With a Gay Sex Worker and No Animals
7 / 10
For Cooper, “Oh Happy Day!” is not so much a step forward from “Ain’t No Mo’” as it is a step sideways. It shows that he can also write a full two-act 130-minute family drama. Not that this playwright has abandoned his irreverent comic streak. God takes many forms in “Oh Happy Day!” and the ones that can be written about in this review are the fiercely attired (costumes by Qween Jean) girl group that features Holy Divine (Tiffany Mann), Mighty Divine (Shelea Melody McDonald) and Glory Divine (Latrice Pace). They sing so many great gospel-inspired songs, by Donald Lawrence, that “Oh Happy Day!” at moments turns into a rollicking musical.
Category
by Gillian Blum - November 2, 2025
Oh Happy Day! at the Public Theater by writer-director duo Jordan E. Cooper and Stevie Walker-Webb extended again, now running through November 9 at Martinson Hall.
by A.A. Cristi - October 15, 2025
OH HAPPY DAY! opens tonight at The Public Theater. The play is a theatrical reimagining of Noah’s Ark from Tony Award-nominated writer and director duo Jordan E. Cooper and Stevie Walker-Webb. Read reviews for the production!
by Jennifer Broski - October 16, 2025
The Public Theater is now presenting the New York premiere of OH HAPPY DAY!, a new play featuring original songs by Grammy Award-winning Donald Lawrence, written by Tony Award-nominated Jordan E. Cooper, and directed by Tony Award-nominated and Obie Award-winning Stevie Walker-Webb. Check out photos from opening night here!
by A.A. Cristi - October 9, 2025
Check out newly released production photos of Jordan E. Cooper's latest production OH HAPPY DAY! now in performances at The Public Theater.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - September 26, 2025
The Public Theater will begin previews for the New York premiere of OH HAPPY DAY!. The production has now been extended. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets!
by Chloe Rabinowitz - August 14, 2025
The Public Theater has revealed additional cast members for the New York premiere of OH HAPPY DAY!, a new play featuring original songs by Grammy Award-winning Donald Lawrence, written by Tony Award-nominated Jordan E. Cooper.
Oh Happy Day! History
Other Productions of Oh Happy Day!
| 2025 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
Videos