Imitation Of Life
Book by Lynn Nottage with Music & Lyrics by John Legend and Directed by Liesl Tommy
COMING FALL 2026
WORLD PREMIERE co-production with THE SHED
A POWERFUL NEW MUSICAL ABOUT IDENTITY, THE AMERICAN DREAM, AND WHAT WE LEAVE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
Imitation of Life is a new musical with a book by Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, music and lyrics by Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award winner John Legend, and directed by multi-award-winning and Tony Award-nominated Liesl Tommy.
Inspired by the 1933 best-selling novel by Fannie Hurst and the beloved 1934 and 1959 Universal films, Imitation of Life follows two single mothers, one Black and one White, as well as their daughters, who build a shared life while each strives for success and love in a society divided by race and class. Set across the vibrant backdrop of 1920s Atlantic City and 1930s New York, this new, profoundly moving musical explores themes of identity, the American Dream, and what we leave for future generations.
Co-produced by National Black Theatre, Get Lifted, Crocodile Eyes, Universal Theatrical Group (UTG), Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Mickey Liddell and Pete Shilaimon of LD Entertainment, and The Shed
CREATIVE TEAM
LYNN NOTTAGE
Book
Lynn Nottage is a playwright and screenwriter, and the first woman in history to receive two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama. Among the most produced playwrights of her generation, her work has been staged extensively throughout the United States and internationally, earning Tony Award nominations, an Olivier nomination, an Evening Standard award, and numerous other awards. Her recent projects include the libretto for This House, premiered at Opera Theatre of St. Louis, co-written with Ruby Aiyo Gerber with music by Ricky Ian Gordon (Finalist for the 2025 International Opera Awards); the opera adaptation of Intimate Apparel at Lincoln Center Theater; the book for the Tony-nominated Broadway musical MJ; and Clyde’s, produced on Broadway and at Second Stage Theater. She has also co-curated immersive performance installations, including This Is Reading and The Watering Hole at Signature Theatre. Nottage’s acclaimed body of work includes Sweat and Ruined (Pulitzer Prizes), Mlima’s Tale, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, Fabulation, Crumbs From the Table of Joy, and The Secret Life of Bees. For television, she served as Writer/Producer on “She’s Gotta Have It” and Consulting Producer on “Dickinson.” Her honors include the PEN/Laura Pels Master Dramatist Award, Doris Duke Artist Award, MacArthur Fellowship, Guggenheim Fellowship, and induction into the Theater Hall of Fame. She is a Professor at Columbia University School of the Arts and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
JOHN LEGEND
Music & Lyrics
John Legend is an EGOT-winning, critically acclaimed, multiplatinum musician who has garnered 13 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award and three Emmy Awards, among others. Legend is one of only twenty-two people in the prestigious EGOT club. Legend has released ten celebrated albums over the course of his career, including Get Lifted (2004), Once Again (2006), Evolver (2008), Wake Up! (with The Roots, 2010) Love in the Future (2013), Darkness and Light (2016), A Legendary Christmas Deluxe (2019),
Bigger Love (2020), LEGEND (2022), LEGEND (Solo Piano Version) (2023) and most recently, My Favorite Dream (2024). On November 22, Legend released the 20th anniversary digital deluxe version of his Grammy winning debut album, Get Lifted, featuring artists including Tems, Simi, Killer Mike, and Lil Wayne. Legend kicked off his “Get Lifted 20th Anniversary World Tour” in May where he is bringing his acclaimed debut album back to the stage around the world. Legend’s influence extends to live performance, including his recent An Evening with John Legend: A Night of Songs and Stories tour in 2024. On screen, he delivered a stunning performance as Jesus in NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (2018), earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor and winning an Emmy as a producer for Outstanding Variety Special (Live). Legend joined THE VOICE as a coach for Season 16 (2019) and has returned for a number of seasons, most recently completing Season 27 (2025). Beyond music, Legend is a visionary producer and storyteller. Alongside partners Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius, he co-founded Get Lifted Film Co., which has created a wide range of acclaimed projects across major networks and streaming platforms. Recent highlights include the Emmy- winning HBO documentary 1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed, Paramount+’s Loudmouth, and Netflix’s hit series Rhythm & Flow. Upcoming projects include NBC/Peacock’s Before I Let Go, inspired by Kennedy Ryan’s best-selling novel; The War & Treaty, based on the lives of Black country music stars Michael and Tanya Trotter; and the Broadway-bound musical Soul Train. Get Lifted’s storytelling expertise also extends to books through their publishing arm, Get Lifted Books, which amplifies diverse voices, most recently with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant’s memoir, Wild Life, and Candace Parker’s book, The Can-Do Mindset. Expanding his entrepreneurial footprint, Legend launched his self-care brand, Loved01, in 2023, to bring consumers gentle but powerful skincare formulas at affordable prices. In 2024, he and his wife, Chrissy Teigen, introduced Kismet, a dog lifestyle brand offering premium food and accessories for modern dog families, which is available online and at Chewy.com. As an advocate for social justice, Legend founded FREEAMERICA in 2014 to transform the conversation around criminal justice policies and combat mass incarceration. He also serves on the boards of Harlem Village Academies and Management Leadership for Tomorrow, as well as advisory boards for The Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice and Teach for All. John Legend’s career is a testament to his unwavering commitment to excellence, creativity, and justice. Whether through his music, storytelling, activism, or entrepreneurship, Legend continues to inspire and leave an indelible mark on the world.
LIESL TOMMY
Director
Liesl Tommy is a multi-award-winning director and producer of theater, television and film. She is the first Black woman ever nominated for a Tony Award® for Best Direction of a Play for Eclipsed by Danai Gurira, starring Lupita Nyong’o. She has directed over 50 global-wide stage productions, from Shakespeare to world premieres of plays and musicals, including the world premiere of the John Kander/Greg Pierce musical Kid Victory. For both the first stage adaptation of Frozen (Disneyland’s multimedia extravaganza) and her juggernaut production of Les Misérables for Dallas Theater Centre, she made the groundbreaking choice to center people of color, forever influencing future productions. She has won, in addition to many other honors for directing, an Obie award and a Lucille Lortell Award. Liesl made her feature directorial debut with the acclaimed MGM film Respect, based on the life of Aretha Franklin, starring Jennifer Hudson. Tommy’s television credits include “Queen Sugar,” “Insecure,” “Mrs. Fletcher,” “Dietland,” “Jessica Jones,” and “The Walking Dead.” Liesl’s childhood in Apartheid-era South Africa has deeply influenced her passion for stories about pursuing personal and cultural freedom, propelling her to launch her production company Crocodile Eyes with co-producer Jennifer Mudge in 2020.
CO-PRODUCED WITH
