CrownsA 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. Hats are everywhere, in exquisite variety, and the characters use the hats to tell tales concerning everything from the etiquette of hats to their historical and contemporary social function. There is a hat for every occasion, from flirting to churchgoing 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. Some rap but predominantly gospel music and dance underscore and support the narratives. The conclusion finds the standoffish young woman, whose cultural identity as a young Black Brooklyn woman has been so at odds with the more traditional and older Southern Blacks, embrace hats and their cultural significance as a part of her own fiercely independent identity. |
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Roles
6F, 1M
Musicians
2
Acts
1
Duration
100 minutes |
Creators
Regina Taylor
Regina Taylor is featured in Netflix’s One Day and a Night starring Jeffrey Wright, Ashton Saunders and directed/written by Joe Robert Cole (writer: Black Panther), guest stars on Red...
Videos
Reviews
"Get ready to clap your hands, tap your feet, and make a joyful noise at Regina Taylor's CROWNS."
Broadway World
"No wonder that Crowns is one of the most produced musicals in America. It is an glimpse into the one of the finest traditions in the vast assortment of the American Experience. CROWNS is a heartfelt show that needs to be seen to fully appreciate."
Chicago Critic
Orchestration
2 Musicians
PIANO/VOCAL
PERCUSSION (Auxiliary, Harmonica [opt.])
Casting
Mother Shaw
Female
Obatala -- Orisha of wisdom -- creativity
Mabel
Female
Shango -- Orisha of fire -- red and white
Velma
Female
Oya -- Orisha of storms -- purple
Wanda
Female
Oshun -- Orisha of rivers and water -- gold and water
Jeanette
Female
Yemaya -- Orisha of seas -- blue
Yolanda
Female
Ogun -- green and red
Man/Elegba
Male
Orisha of crossroads -- red and black
Production Materials
The required production package will include the materials listed below. These materials will be shipped upon receipt of payment if your license request is approved.
7 Cast Script/Vocal Books
A combination of the show’s full script and the full vocal book. All dialogue within each song is printed in the score to prevent flipping back and forth during rehearsals. All books are spiral-bound and double-sided.
2 Director’s Scripts
A single-sided, spiral-bound script designed with plenty of space for the director to take notes and add blocking during the rehearsal process.
1 Stage Manager’s Script
A single-sided, three-hole punched script that can be inserted into your three-ring binder.
2 Piano/Vocal Scores
This piano score includes all vocal parts. It can be used during the rehearsal process and during performance.
Orchestration Set
Percussion
Production Resources
Additional Printed Books
Additional books (Cast Script/Vocal, Piano/Conductor, etc.) are available.
$25 each
Digital Orchestration PDFs
Prefer playing or rehearsing from your tablet? All of our orchestration scores (including PC and PV) are available in digital copies.
Digital PC or PV $50
Full Digital Orchestration Set $150
Broadway Plus
A workshop experience in which a Broadway artist speaks and works with students in an educational setting through our partnership with Broadway Plus.
Prices Vary by Product
Credits
Adapted from the book by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry
