(pray)

(pray) is a musical with music and lyrics by S T A R R Busby and JJJJJerome Ellis, and book/direction by nicHi douglas. Described as a "choreopoem," the show is structured as a church service exploring themes of spirituality, trauma, joy and the Black experience. It premiered in 2023 Off-Broadway at Ars Nova in a co-production with National Black Theatre.

Synopsis

A congregation gathers to explore the power of faith and spiritual legacy. Through a blend of music, movement, and communal ritual, the piece explores the emotional landscape of Black women across the African diaspora, from joy and celebration to questioning and struggle. Through a 17-part liturgy accompanied by piano, the show draws inspiration from the energy of a Sunday Baptist service and filtering it through surreal, Afrofuturist imagery.

Productions

The show premiered Off-Broadway at Ars Nova in a co-production with National Black Theatre, running from September 23 to October 28, 2023, directed by nicHi douglas. The show featured Ariel Kayla Blackwood, Busby, Ashley De La Rosa, Tina Fabrique, Amara Granderson, Taylor Symone Jackson, Ziiomi Louise Law, Aigner Mizzelle, Satori Folkes-Stone, Gayle Turner, Darnell White and D. Woods.

The production received critical acclaim, with reviewers praising its immersive theatrical experience and emotional impact, with TheatreMania calling it "extremely successful" and The New York Times lauding it as a "holy communion of musical interludes, movement, poems, rituals and critical theory."

The show received four Lucille Lortel Awards, including Outstanding Musical, from six nominations, along with a nomination for the 2024 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music in a Play for S T A R R Busby and JJJJerome Ellis.

Awards and nominations

2023 Off-Broadway production