CHEZ JOEY to Extend its Run at Arena Stage Through Late March

Arena Stage will present a one-week extension for its world-premiere production of Chez Joey. With fresh arrangements from the legendary catalog of Great American Songbook duo Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, a new book by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Richard LaGravenese (The Fisher King), choreography by Tony winner Savion Glover (Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk), and co-direction by actor, director, and producer Tony Goldwyn (ABC’s Scandal) and Glover, Chez Joey began performances January 30, 2026. Previously set to conclude on March 15, Chez Joey will now play through March 22, 2026, in Arena Stage’s Kreeger Theater.

Set against the heat and hustle of the 1940s Chicago club scene, Chez Joey reexamines the question of sex and love and ambition and cost through a bold contemporary lens. Cue Joey Evans: an irresistible, slick-talking, velvet-voiced nightclub performer with dreams bigger than the bandstand. But in a city where the right connections mean everything, he finds himself caught between Linda, the bright-eyed chorus girl, and Vera, the wealthy baroness who can bankroll his big break—for a price. With no-nonsense club owner Lucille and vaudeville performer-turned-Chicago-social-insider Melvin watching his every move, Joey’s got one choice to make: play it straight or risk it all for a shot at the spotlight.

Chez Joey is led by Tony Award winner Myles Frost (MJ the Musical) in the title role of Joey Evans, Awa Sal Secka (The Public Theater’s Goddess) as Linda English, Samantha Massell (Fiddler on the Roof) as Vera Simpson, Angela Hall (Black and Blue) as Lucille Wallace, and Tony nominee Kevin Cahoon (Shucked) as Melvin Snyder.

Keeping the onstage tempo, the Chez Joey company also includes Charis Michelle Gullage (Summer: The Donna Summer Musical National Tour), Kalen Robinson (Signature Theatre’s Play On!),  Ndaya Dream Hoskins (Broadway’s SMASH), Alana S. Thomas (Imagination Stage’s The Hula-Hoopin' Queen), Brooke Taylor (Broadway’s Moulin Rouge! The Musical), Josh Johnson (ABC’s Dancing with the Stars), Marcus John (Hamilton North American Tour), Lamont Brown (Broadway’s Funny Girl), Addi Loving (The Muny’s Seven Brides for Seven Brothers), and Crystal J. Freeman (ArtCentric’s Dreamgirls), as well as Justin Michael Duval (Girl from the North Country North American Tour), Jordyn Taylor (Arena’s Damn Yankees), Karen Vincent (Olney Theatre Center’s Hello, Dolly!), and Jailyn Wilkerson (Signature Theatre’s Play On!). Driving the production’s live sound, the onstage band—led by Lafayette Harris Jr. (Broadway’s Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk) on keys—features Nolan Nwachukwu on bass, Corey Rawls on drums, Daniel Bereket on trumpet, Jalin Shiver on saxophone, and Alex De Lazzari on reeds, along with John Lamkin, Donvonte McCoy, Blake Meister, Elijah Easton, and Coby Petricone-Berg.

The creative team includes two-time Tony Award-winning set designer Derek McLane (Moulin Rouge! The Musical), five-time Tony-nominated Costume Designer Emilio Sosa (Purlie Victorious), lighting designer Adam Honoré (Ragtime), six-time Tony-nominated sound designer Dan Moses Schreier (Floyd Collins), wigs, hair, and makeup designer J. Jared Janas (Dead Outlaw), and Grammy-nominated music supervisor Victor Gould. Casting is by The TRC Company / Tara Rubin, CSA & Peter Van Dam, CSA and Raiyon Hunter, CSA. The stage manager is Morgan R. Holbrook and the assistant stage managers are Kelly Merritt and Dayne Sundman.

Support for Chez Joey is provided by David and Patricia Fisher; Daniel Korengold, Martha Dippell, and Ourisman Automotive of Virginia; Bonnie Feld; and Catherine and Chris Guttman-McCabe. Special thanks to Boston Consulting Group.