New Jersey Stage 2016: Issue 9 | Page 74

On Stage: Theatre Crowns, a gospel musical The Theater Project - 10 Durand Road, Maplewood A moving and celebratory musical play in which hats become a springboard for an exploration of black history and identity as seen through the eyes of a young black woman who has come down South to stay with her aunt after her brother is killed in Brooklyn. ​There is a hat for every occasion, from flirting to churchgoing NJ STAGE 2016 - ISSUE 9 to funerals to baptisms, and the tradition of hats is traced back to African rituals and slavery and forward to the New Testament and current fashion. Written by Regina Taylor, this is a coming-of-age story set to music including gospel, jazz, blues and hip-hop. The production runs from September 29 through October 23. INDEX NEXT ARTICLE 74