Proteus Spann celebrates the 20th Anniversary of New York Times best-selling author E. Lynn Harris' classic American love story INVISIBLE LIFE. This explosive new musical adaptation addresses the conflicts of sexuality, religion, HIV/AIDS and family in America.
Raymond, a college football player, dreams of a future as a lawyer and family man with his childhood sweetheart Sela, but is seduced into a "Down-Low romance" by star Quarterback, Basil Henderson. Pressured by his father to continue his NFL legacy, Raymond escapes to NYC and falls madly in love with a Broadway Diva, Nicole. Raymond's scandal-reunion with Basil, and fashionista best friends Kyle and JJ, threatens his Perfect World and forces Raymond to
In 2010, the Los Angeles Times listed
E. Lynn Harris' Invisible Life as one of the top 20 "classic works of gay literature" ever written.
INVISIBLE LIFE (THE MUSICAL) will premiere Thursday, June 25th, 2015 and will run for six performances through Tuesday, June 30th at The World Famous Apollo Theater, 253 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027.
Written and Directed by
Proteus Spann and
Javon Johnson. Mr. Spann conceived and developed INVISIBLE LIFE (THE MUSICAL) and is the sole owner of the Intellectual Property rights to the catalogue of the late (12 times) New York Times best-selling author
E. Lynn Harris. Spann is a
Syracuse University graduate and former Hollywood Casting Director. Spann produced the critically acclaimed musical Sanctified written by
Javon Johnson at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington DC 2010.
Mr. Johnson was awarded the Kennedy Center
Lorraine Hansberry Award, the New Professional Theatre Playwriting Award, a
Sundance Theatre Laboratory participant and Eugene O'Neil National Playwrights fellowship.
Mr. Johnsons play, "Hambone," at the
Victory Gardens Theatre during their Tony Award Winning season was nominated for a
Joseph Jefferson Award.
Mr. Johnson is a Broadway actor, a gifted playwright and protégé of the late great
August Wilson. In a Q&A with
August Wilson and
Javon Johnson, moderated by Ralph Wiley,
August Wilson was asked what influenced his early writing in the 60s and the honored playwright said, "Black life in all its richness and fullness without sentimentality, an honesty I hadn't seen expressed before. You can do that, I thought." Without a doubt,
Javon Johnson honors his mentor's influence in the new work Invisible Life, co-written and co-directed with
Proteus Spann.
Music & Lyrics by Motown Legends and Grammy award winning artists
Nick Ashford and
Valerie Simpson. The original score for INVISIBLE LIFE was one of the last projects the pop-soul singing couple completed together. Their extraordinary talents as writers, producers and vocalists are already receiving acclaim from those who have heard the compositions. "This is a story that needs to be brought to the masses; a very important one," said
Valerie Simpson.
Additional Lyrics by
Stanley Bennett Clay has received three NAACP Theatre Awards for writing and directing the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway play Ritual. He produced and directed "Armstrong's Kid" Off-Broadway and directed the award-winning production of James Earl Hardy's "B-Boy Blues*The Play" (currently touring).
Musical Director: e'Marcus Harper is a Grammy Award-nominated, Kennedy Center Music Conductor, that has recorded, performed and/or toured with Lionel Ritchie,
Carlos Santana,
Michael Jackson, and
Aretha Franklin. The
Music Director/Arranger for CROWNS by
Regina Taylor at
Arena Stage (D.C.), Studio Arena (NY), The Alliance (ATL), The Goodman (Chicago). Nominated for a 2015
Helen Hayes Award for "Best Musical Direction" for Theatre Alliance's production of BLACK NATIVITY by
Langston Hughes, and is Artist in Residence at Howard University's Department of Theatre Arts.
DJ: Teddy Douglas has produced dance classics for
Michael Jackson,
Lenny Kravitz,
Erykah Badu and
Crystal Waters legendary Gold single "Gypsy Woman" (la da dee, la da da). INVISIBLE LIFE (THE MUSICAL) features Soul-stirring R&B mixed with Paradise Garage grooves, everybody will Sing, Vogue & Live!
Executive Producer:
Reginald Van Lee is an Executive Vice President at Booz
Allen Hamilton. He is a founding member of the Clinton Global Initiative, appointed by
President Obama to the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and the Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts' Board of Trustees. Mr.
Van Lee is the Treasurer of the MAC AIDS Fund Board and Chairman of the Board of the Washington Performing Arts Society. Mr.
Van Lee has been recognized as one of New York's Finest Philanthropists, recipient of the Percy E. Sutton Civic Leadership Award from the Apollo Theater Foundation and Consulting Magazine's "Top 25" consultants in the world.
Casting Director: Wojcik / Seay Casting
Showtimes & Tickets:
Thurs Jun 25 at 7:30PM, Fri Jun 26 at 7:30PM, Sat Jun 27 at 3PM, Sat Jun 27 at 7:00PM, Mon Jun 29 at 7:30PM and Tues Jun 30 at 7:30PM. Tickets may be purchased at the Apollo Theater, 253 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027. Tickets: $18 in person at the Apollo Box Office or Online at Ticketmaster.com. Phone at 800.745.3000
Proteus E2 Productions is a Film, Television and Theater production company based in NYC/LA.
Proteus Spann founded the company to exploit his Ownership of the Intellectual Property Rights Catalog of (16) Books written by the late great
E. Lynn Harris, which generated over 100 million in Publishing Revenues for Random House.
Proteus Spann has Developed and Co-Written with
Javon Johnson and Ted Witcher (LOVE JONES) the Feature Film Script for INVISIBLE LIFE (THE MOVIE).
