Recent Tony Award winners Joshua Henry and Julia Harriman will star Conversation This fall, the duo co-wrote an original musical about long-term relationships.
This represents Henry’s next project, after he completes his career Ragtime music This August. He won a Tony Award on Sunday for his lead role in the musical. The production, which includes a book by Nick Green and direction by Tony Award winner Kenny Leon (Raisins in the sun), will begin previews on November 17, ahead of opening night on December 7 for a 10-week run at the Off-Broadway Astor Place Theater.
Harriman and Henry began working on the musical about four years ago, after meeting on its first U.S. national tour hamilton, With Henry as Aaron Burr and Harriman as Eliza Hamilton. The story follows Elle (Harriman) and Marcus (Henry) through the highs and lows of a seven-year romantic relationship.
For Henry, the project represents a return to his roots in soul and R&B, with influences from artists he grew up listening to, including Marvin Gaye, John Legend and Ella Fitzgerald. In addition, before joining the revival Ragtime musicHenry starred in a series of other Broadway revivals, Violet, In the forest and circularShe expressed her desire to participate in new work.
This project was planned before Tunisia’s win, but Henry points out that the momentum surrounding the win is likely to help the project.
“We thought, well, if that happened, it would be incredible, but as an artist, it’s a perfect redefining moment. Soul and R&B is where I live, but getting out of… Ragtime music“It’s the perfect opportunity to say, ‘Hey, just remember these are the other things I can do too,'” Henry said.
The idea for the project evolved from conversations Harriman and Henry had about relationships, which led the two to begin exchanging songs, and then enlisted Green, who wrote Casey and DianaTo help shape the story.
“I’ve been in a wonderful relationship for 20 years, and this musical is about long-term relationships and how they last and the beauty and the pain and keeping things fresh,” Henry said.
For Harriman, writing her own work also gave her the opportunity to create her own musical references and write her own role after facing some pushback in the industry.
“I was never the look they wanted. I wasn’t Asian enough, I wasn’t white enough,” Harriman said. “So I felt it was time to see someone like me on stage singing the kind of music I wanted to hear on stage.”
Mandy Hackett and Jenny Steingart are producing the musical.
