'Paradise Square' to close on July 17

Paradise Square will end its Broadway run on Sunday, July 17 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.

Paradise Square is set in the Five Points neighborhood of New York City circa 1863 and is about a community that survives the war years and Draft Riots with raucous dance contests in neighborhood bars and dance halls.

Directed by Moises Kaufman, the original musical has a book by Christina Anderson, Craig Lucas, and Larry Kirwan, with choreography by Bill T. Jones, musical staging by Alex Sanchez, and Irish and Hammerstep choreography by Garrett Coleman and Jason Oremus. The score is by Jason Howland, Nathan Tysen, and Masi Asare, with additional music by Larry Kirwan, and arrangements by Howland and Kirwan.

Paradise Square earned ten 2022 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Leading Actress in a Musical for its star Joaquina Kalukango, who took home the trophy. Featured actors Sidney DuPont and A.J. Shively also earned Tony nominations for their performances.

The musical had an uphill climb given the controversy surrounding its producer, Garth Drabinski, and reports of payment issues within its production.

The cast of Paradise Square also stars Chilina Kennedy, John Dossett, Nathaniel Stampley, Gabrielle McClinton, Jacob Fishel, Kevin Dennis, and Matt Bogart. Rounding out the ensemble are Garrett Coleman, Jason Oremus, Colin Barkell, Karen Burthwright, Kennedy Caughell, Dwayne Clark, Conor Coleman, Eric Craig, Colin Cunliffe, Chloe Davis, Josh Davis, Bernard Dotson, Jamal Christopher Douglas, Camille Eanga-Selenge, Sam Edgerly, Shiloh Goodin, Sean Jenness, Joshua Keith, Jay McKenzie, Ben Michael, Kayla Pecchioni, Eilis Quinn, Lee Siegel, Erica Spyres, Lael van Keuren, Sir Brock Warren, Alan Wiggins, Kristen Beth Williams, and Hailee Kaleem Wright.

A national tour is being planned for the 2023-2024 season, and international productions are also in development. The Original Broadway Cast Recording is expected to be released in September.