Everything to Know About WANTED on Broadway
Wanted, led by Solea Pfeiffer & Liisi LaFontaine, will open on Broadway in November 2026.
How far would you go to get everything you ever Wanted? Broadway is about to find out with Wanted, the first new musical of the 2026/27 Broadway season. As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Wanted will open on Broadway in Fall 2026. While we await its arrival, catch up on everything there is to know so far!
What is Wanted about?
Texas, 1893 — Twin sisters Mary and Martha Clarke are on the run. As Black women who pass for white and hide in plain sight, they straddle a dangerous line between two Americas. But as powerful forces close in to keep their family from claiming a future of their own, Mary and Martha are driven to desperate measures to save their mother and their family’s legacy. When survival demands they do the unthinkable, the sisters nevertheless fight for self-determination, dignity, and the inheritance they have long been denied.
Who were the Sisters Clarke?
Mary and Martha Clarke were African American sisters living in Texas in the 1890s who were known within their family for having passed as white. However, the historical record is limited, and much of what is "known" about them comes from family oral tradition rather than extensive documentation. The show's book writer and lyricist, Angelica Chéri, is a descendant of the sisters (her great-great-aunts) and grew up hearing stories that varied from one relative to another—some said they robbed banks, others that they held up trains, and others told different versions of their exploits.
Who wrote Wanted?
Wanted features book and lyrics by Chéri, music by Ross Baum, direction by Obie Award-winner and Tony Award-nominee Stevie Walker-Webb (AIN’T NO MO’), and choreography by Chelsey Arce (Sweeney Todd 2023 revival, Harry Potter And The Cursed Child). Casting for the production will be by Tara Rubin and Olivia Paige West of The TRC Company. Additional creative team will be announced at a later date. Wanted is produced by P3 Productions (Ben Holtzman, Sammy Lopez, Fiona Rudin).
The musical began as Chéri and Baum's thesis for the NYU Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. Much of the show was rewritten following a 2015 workshop, and was then presented for the 2017 SigWorks Musical Theater Lab at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, and the 2018 NEXT Festival. It won the 2018 Richard Rogers Award and was further developed in residencies at Goodspeed Opera, Two River Theater and the Barnett Residency.
Who is starring in Wanted?
The production will be led by Solea Pfeiffer (Hadestown, Almost Famous) as Mary and Liisi LaFontaine (West End: Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Dreamgirls) as Martha. The cast will also include Ledisi as Tallulah Clarke, Luke James as Elijah, Aurelia Williams as Sissy and Awa Sal Secka as Flo.
“We’re so happy to finally bring this show we love so much to Broadway,” said Solea Pfeiffer and Liisi LaFontaine. “Getting to highlight a piece of American history so rarely talked about, and to step into the boots of these extraordinary women is an honor we don’t take lightly. We know the importance of seeing yourself onstage, and to represent the complicated and beautiful tapestry of this country on Broadway is a dream realized. To get to do it together is a dream come true. We can’t wait for the world to meet the Sisters Clarke.”
Additional casting has not yet been announced.
Did Wanted have a pre-Broadway tryout?
The musical had its world premiere at the Signature Theatre in February 2020. It went on to have a critically acclaimed run at Paper Mill Playhouse from April 4 - May 5, 2024. At that time it was titled Gun & Powder. Check out what the critics had to say and view photos from the New Jersey run.
Following the 2024 premiere, the show released a Studio EP is available in digital and streaming formats. The five song EP features “Wide Open Plains,” “The Train,” “Gun & Powder,” “The Way I Am,” and “Freedom,” performed by Solea Pfeiffer, Liisi LaFontaine, and the Wanted Studio Cast.
When will Wanted open?
Performances begin on Thursday, October 15, at the James Earl Jones Theatre, with an opening night set for Sunday evening, November 8. Tickets are now on sale!
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