Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – Illuminating stories that ought to be told: The anticipated Sia musical SATURDAY CHURCH and Audible’s production of MEXODUS

• By drediman
• September 21, 2025
• No Comments

This week saw the opening of two new Off-Broadway musicals musicals that boldly shed light on stories that are typically kept out of sight and light to be told. As per usual, read on for my thoughts on these trailblazing productions.

SATURDAY CHURCH
New York Theatre Worksop
Though October 19

First up is the new musical Saturday Church (RECOMMENDED), which opened Off-Broadway last week at New York Theatre Workshop in the East Village. The show is a highly anticipated stage adaptation of Damon Cardasis’s 2017 film of the same name, which tells the coming-of-age story of Ulysses, a youth who finds himself drawn to yet alienated from both his Christian church and the transgender community that he falls into. Featuring songs by pop star Sia (with additional music by Honey Dijon), the musical version rides primarily on the propulsive beats and invigorating spiritual highs of the eclectic score, which draws as much from ballroom culture and dance music as it does from gospel music, effectively signifying the dichotomy of Ulysses’ conflicted allegiances. The cast features Tony winners J. Harrison Ghee (Some Like It Hot) and Joaquina Kalukango (Paradise Square), as well as newcomer Bryson Battle in the central role of Ulysses. Ghee and Kalukango bring commitment and craft to their performances, even if at times the book by Cardasis and James Ijames (who won a Pulitzer Prize for penning Fat Ham) — at least as it currently stands — doesn’t quite flesh out their parts as Ulysses’ pastor-cum-personal Black Jesus and embittered aunt, respectively, to the extent that it should (the same could be said about the role of the mother, played with affecting empathy by Kristolyn Lloyd). That being said, in a refreshing change in pace, the transitions into and out of songs often defy typical musical theater convention, despite being oddly clunky at times. The direction by the ubiquitous Whitney White is energetic — kudos to Darrell Grand Moultrie’s lively ballroom-inspired choreography, in particular — even if her myth-inspired staging could use a tad more specificity. Although I have a few misgivings, on the whole the bones of a fine new musical are already in place. And as an evolution from shows like Rent and Kinky Boots, Saturday Church takes important strides forward to more fully bring the transgender experience into the mainstream.

MEXODUS
Audible at Minetta Lane Theatre
Through October 18

Then there’s the sensational new looping musical Mexodus (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED), which arrives in New York courtesy of Audible Theater after a successful award-winning run in Washington, DC. In short, the two-hander — which is written and performed by Nygel D. Robinson and Brian Quijada’s — illuminates the little known history of the Underground Railroad that extended southward into Mexico, as opposed to just northward to Yankee territory. The tale is told through the lens of the fictitious characters of Henry and Carlos, both of whom are amalgamations of actual, carefully researched historical figures. Like Saturday Night, music plays a central role in the storytelling via an eclectic medley of musical styles, ranging from hip-hop, rap, Black spirituals, Mexican folk music, and so forth. Despite these disparate styles, the songs are artfully articulated, brilliantly structured, and exceptionally well integrated into the fabric of the show. To boot, Robinson and Quijada make it all look astonishingly easy. Not only does the duo have to sing and act, they must also navigate playing all the instruments, as well as the complexities of looping it all together into a rhythmic orchestral tapestry that drives the story forward. In its mission to refocus history through contemporary cultural vernacular, the musical pays obvious homage to Hamilton, although its primary focus on slavery distinguishes it from the Lin-Manuel Miranda mega hit (which somehow largely sets aside the elephant in the room of American history). Suffice to say, the two performances knock it out of the park. As the runaway slave Henry, Robinson is smooth yet magnetic; you can’t help but root for his journey to freedom and safety. In contrast, the vibrant Quijada as Carlos — the Mexican farmer who lends a helping hand to Henry — gives a punchier, more assertive performance that provides a nice contrast to Robinson’s softer, more openly vulnerable performance. Staged snugly on the boards of the Minetta Lane Theater in Greenwich Village, David Mendizábal’s production explodes off the stage with exuberance and ingenuity. But unlike the current state of Saturday Night, Mexodus is tight, focused, and polished to a gleaming sheen. It deserves future life.