John Legend and Lynn Nottage’s Imitation of Life Musical to Premiere at The Shed This Fall
The new musical adaptation of the Fannie Hurst classic will play a strictly limited four-week engagement, directed by Liesl Tommy
(Photos: c/o Polk & Co.)
What to Know
- Imitation of Life is a new musical with a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and music and lyrics by EGOT winner John Legend, directed by Liesl Tommy
- The production will premiere in Fall 2026 at The Shed as a four-week limited engagement, co-produced with National Black Theatre
- Inspired by the 1933 novel and the classic 1934 and 1959 films, the musical explores race, class and identity through the intertwined lives of two single mothers and their daughters
The musical adaptation of Imitation of Life will premiere at The Shed in New York City this fall.
The project features a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, whose Broadway credits include the Tony-nominated musical MJ, music and lyrics by EGOT winner John Legend and direction by Liesl Tommy, the Tony-nominated director of Eclipsed. The production will play a strictly limited four-week presentation engagement at The Griffin Theater at The Shed as a co-production with National Black Theatre.
Inspired by Fannie Hurst’s 1933 novel and the classic Universal Pictures film adaptations from 1934 and 1959, Imitation of Life follows two single mothers—one Black and one white—and their daughters as they build a shared life while navigating love, ambition and survival in a society divided by race and class. The musical is set against the backdrop of 1920s Atlantic City and 1930s New York.
In a joint statement, Legend, Nottage and Tommy said: “While the novel’s narrative is very much a product of its time, its themes of race, class and gender in America continue to resonate today. As artists, we are drawn to Imitation of Life’s enduring emotional power and its potential to be reimagined in ways that feel both contemporary and urgent. It has been a profound joy to collaborate on bringing this story to the stage, and we are thrilled to premiere this musical at The Shed, where we look forward to sharing the beautiful and deeply moving journey of Delilah and Peola Johnston with audiences.”
John Legend is an EGOT-winning singer, songwriter, producer and actor who has released ten studio albums and earned 13 Grammy Awards, along with an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and multiple Emmy Awards; his Broadway credits include producing Jitney and A Strange Loop, and he starred as Jesus in NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert. Lynn Nottage is a playwright and screenwriter and the first woman to win two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama, with Broadway credits including MJ, Clyde’s and Ruined. Liesl Tommy received a Tony Award nomination for directing the 2016 play Eclipsed by Danai Gurira and made her feature film directing debut with the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect.
The musical is produced by National Black Theatre, John Legend and Mike Jackson of Get Lifted Film Co., Crocodile Eyes, Universal Theatrical Group, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Mickey Liddell and Pete Shilaimon of LD Entertainment and The Shed.
Casting and further details will be announced at a later time.