A musical about girl group TLC will make its world premiere in Washington D.C. next summer.
Written and directed by Olivier-Award winner Kwame Kwei-Armah, CrazySexyCool – The TLC Musical will premiere at Arena Stage Theater from June 12, 2026 through Aug. 9. The musical is described as a “semi-biographical” look at the chart-topping girl group, which produced hits such as “No Scrubs,” “Waterfalls” and “Unpretty.”
The musical will feature pre-existing songs from TLC. Chloe O. Davis will choreograph the show. Kwei-Armah also wrote and directed One Love: The Bob Marley Musical.
“TLC is synonymous with rebellion — using their art to challenge, subvert and entertain,” Kwei-Armah said. “Why a musical? Why now? Their lives need to be sung. It’s about that time!”
The musical comes as part of Arena Stage’s 75th anniversary season, in 2025-2026, which will encompass nine productions, including a new adaptation of Damn Yankees, adapted by Will Power and Doug Wright, with additional lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. Sergio Trujillo directs the production.
The season will also include Pal Joey, directed by Tony Award-winning choreographer Savion Glover and actor, director and producer Tony Goldwyn, who teamed up on a reimagining of the musical, which previously played New York’s City Center in 2023.
A revival of Inherit the Wind, about two legal giants fighting over the right to teach evolutions in schools, helmed by Ryan Guzzo Purcell; the world premiere of Fremont Ave., a multi-general dramatic-comedy directed by two-time Helen Hayes Award winner Lili-Anne Brown; Christopher Chen’s The Motion, described as a “charged exploration of humanity,” directed by Arena Stage Artistic Director Hana S. Sharif; and a one-woman show, A Good Day to Me Not You, directed by Lee Sunday Evans and featuring Lameece Issaq, will also be part of the season.
The season ends with a lyrical memoir, entitled My Joy is Heavy, from Abigail and Shaun Bengson about their journey through pregnancy loss. Tony Award-winning director Rachel Chavkin will helm the production.
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