Blazing a Trail: The Life and Work of Micki Grant Celebrated in Off-Broadway Premiere

Nora Cole’s The World According to Micki Grant is set to make its Off-Broadway premiere at WP Theater with New Federal Theatre presenting the biomusical from May 31 to June 29, with an opening night scheduled for June 6. The show delves into the life and work of multi-talented artist, Micki Grant, who was the first Black woman to write the book, music, and lyrics for a Broadway musical.

The biomusical features a talented cast including Matelyn Alicia, April Armstrong, Patrice Benn, and Shawn Bowers. Alicia and Armstrong will portray different facets of Micki Grant’s persona, while Bowers will embody the male figures from Grant’s works.

Commissioned by New Federal Theatre after Grant’s passing in 2021, The World According to Micki Grant pays tribute to Grant’s impressive career as a songwriter, poet, lyricist, and writer. Her groundbreaking work includes Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope for which she received Tony nominations for best book and score. Grant was also the first female composer to win a Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album and received multiple Tony nominations for her work on musicals like Your Arms Too Short to Box With God and Working.

The creative team behind The World According to Micki Grant includes professionals like music director Tom Spahn, choreographer Lakai Worrell, set designer Patrice Davidson, lighting designer Victor En Yu Tan, and costume designer Ali Turns. The show promises to include pieces from Grant’s musicals