Johannes Radebe Joins Producing Team of A STRANGE LOOP in the West End

Strictly Come Dancing’s Johannes Radebe, has announced his enthusiastic support and endorsement for the acclaimed musical A Strange Loop as he joins the illustrious line-up of the biggest stars in entertainment who are co-producing the show in London including Alan Cumming, Ilana Glazer, Jennifer Hudson, Mindy Kaling and Billy Porter. The six stars are co-producing the smash-hit musical in London at the Barbican Theatre for a one-time-only 12-week limited season from 17 June.

Johannes Radebe, who was part of the first male same-sex couple on BBC One’s Strictly, said: "I'm absolutely delighted to be joining the producing team of A Strange Loop and be part of its journey to London. Michael R. Jackson’s musical is truly ground-breaking and I knew I had to be part of making it happen this summer. Usher’s beautiful story is going to make you laugh, cry and so so so much more – London is going to love it. And don’t get me started on how incredibly talented the cast is. You don’t want to miss it – A Strange Loop is going to be THE show of the summer.”

Michael R. Jackson’s blisteringly funny masterwork, A Strange Loop, exposes the heart and soul of Usher - a young, gay, Black writer who hates his day job, so writes a musical about a young, gay, Black writer who’s writing a musical about a young, gay, Black writer…a strange loop. 

The full cast is led by Kyle Ramar Freeman, making his West End debut reprising the role of Usher - which he played on Broadway - who grapples with desires, identity and instincts he both loves and loathes, all brought to life on stage by a hilarious, straight-talking ensemble of ‘Thoughts’.  

Thought 1 is Sharlene Hector, best known for being a lead vocalist for British band Basement Jaxx, Nathan Armarkwei-Laryea (Women Beware The Devil, Spring Awakening, Hamlet) plays Thought 2, Yeukayi Ushe (The Lion King, Kinky Boots, The Book of Mormon) is Thought 3, Tendai Humphrey Sitima (The Play That Goes Wrong) plays Thought 4, with Danny Bailey (Jesus Christ Superstar, Girl From the North Country) as Thought 5 and Eddie Elliott (Blues for an Alabama Sky, The Lion King and Motown The Musical) playing Thought 6. 

Written by Michael R. Jackson and directed by Stephen Brackett, A Strange Loop is choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly, with set designs by Arnulfo Maldonado, lighting by Jen Schriever, sound by Drew Levy, costumes by Jen Schriever and Rona Siddiqui is Music Supervisor.

Jackson’s critically acclaimed Pulitzer Prize-winning A Strange Loop, was nominated for 11 Tony Awards and winner of every Best Musical award in New York. Only the 10th musical to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama - with the previous winner being Hamilton - the committee cited the show as a “metafictional musical that tracks the creative process of an artist transforming issues of identity, race, and sexuality that once pushed him to the margins of the cultural mainstream into a meditation on universal human fears and insecurities”.