Wanted: The Legend of the Sisters Clarke
| Wanted | |
|---|---|
| The Legend of the Sisters Clark | |
Broadway promotional poster | |
| Music | Ross Baum |
| Lyrics | Angelica Chéri |
| Book | Angelica Chéri |
| Setting | Texas, 1893 |
| Basis | Mary and Martha Clarke |
| Premiere | January 28, 2020: Signature Theatre, Arlington |
| Productions |
|
Wanted: The Legend of the Sisters Clarke (originally titled Gun & Powder) is a 2020 musical based on the real story of Mary and Martha Clarke, two Black sisters who became outlaws in 1893. Developed by Angelica Chéri and Ross Baum, the musical made its world premiere at the Signature Theatre in February 2020, and is expected to premiere on Broadway in 2026.
Plot
Mary and Martha Clarke are two African-American twin sisters living in Texas in 1893. In an effort to settle their mother's sharecropper debt and stop her from losing her home, the sister pass as white and become outlaws.[1]
Principal casts
| Character | Arlington[2] | Millburn[3] | Broadway |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2024 | 2026 | |
| Martha Clarke | Emmy Raver-Lampman | Liisi LaFontaine | Liisi LaFontaine |
| Mary Clarke | Solea Pfeiffer | Ciara Renée | Solea Pfeiffer |
| Tallulah Clarke | Marva Hicks | Jeannette Bayardelle | TBA |
| Elijah | Donald Webber Jr. | Aaron James McKenzie | TBA |
| Jesse Whitewater | Dan Tracy | Hunter Parrish | TBA |
Musical numbers
|
Act I
|
Act II
|
Development
Wanted, originally titled Gun & Powder, was originally conceived in the NYU Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program as the thesis of Angelica Chéri, who wrote the book and lyrics, and Ross Baum, who wrote the music. Chéri, who first proposed the story concept to Baum, is the great-great niece of Mary and Martha Clarke, and grew up hearing stories of the sisters as family folklore.[4]
After its first workshop production in 2015, the writers decided to completely rewrite the entire show.[4] It was the inaugural workshop production of New York University's Tisch Center for New Musicals.[5] Gun & Powder was selected for the 2017 SigWorks Musical Theater Lab at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, and was further developed in the 2018 NEXT Festival.[5] That same year, it won the 2018 Richard Rogers Award and was selected for the NAMT Festival of New Musicals.[6][4] Gun & Powder was further developed in residencies at Goodspeed Opera, Two River Theater and the Barnett Residency.[7]
Gun & Powder made its sold-out[2] world premiere at the Signature Theatre in February 2020 directed by Robert O'Hara.[8] In Spring 2024, it had a run at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey, where it received generally positive reviews[3], including a New York Times Critic's Pick.[9] The production was directed by Stevie Walker-Webb and choreographed by Tiffany Rea-Fisher.[3]
In early 2025, it was announced that the show aims to premiere on Broadway in 2026, rebranded as Wanted: The Legend of the Sisters Clarke.[10] A pre-Broadway workshop for Wanted was scheduled for June 2025.[11] The Broadway production will feature Austin Cook as music director, Chelsey Arce as choreographer, and Stevie Walker-Webb as director.[12]
References
- ^ "Gun & Powder (Regional, Paper Mill Playhouse, 2024)". Playbill. TotalTheater. Archived from the original on 2025-10-09. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^ a b Menefee, Lynne (2020-02-18). "Theatre Review: 'Gun & Powder' at Signature Theatre". Maryland Theatre Guide. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^ a b c Culwell-Block, Logan; Gans, Andrew (April 18, 2024). "Reviews: Here's What Critics Think of Gun & Powder at Paper Mill Playhouse". Playbill. TotalTheater. Archived from the original on 2025-09-06. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^ a b c "The Making of Gun & Powder". Signature Theatre. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^ a b "Wanted (fka Gun & Powder)". National Alliance For Musical Theatre. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^ Clement, Olivia (April 2, 2018). "KPOP Is Recipient of 2018 Richard Rodgers Award". Playbill. TotalTheater. Archived from the original on 2025-04-26. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^ "Gun & Powder, A Musical". Angelica Chéri. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^ Siegel, David (2020-02-07). "Signature Theatre's commanding 'Gun & Powder' pulls no punches". DC Theater Arts. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^ Kumar, Naveen (2024-04-18). "'Gun & Powder' Review: Twin Vigilantes Stake Claim to the American West". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Archived from the original on 2025-07-12. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^ Russo, Gillian (2025-05-12). "New musical 'Wanted' plans 2026 Broadway premiere". New York Theatre Guide. New York. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^ Evans, Greg (2025-05-12). "Rebranded Western Musical 'Wanted' To Make Broadway Bow in 2026". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
- ^ "Wanted | Broadway | Official Site". Wanted | Broadway | Official Site. Retrieved 2025-12-19.