Home / Arts and Entertainment / Outlaw Sisters' True Story Hits Broadway Stage
Outlaw Sisters' True Story Hits Broadway Stage
16 Sep
Summary
- A family legend of outlaw great-great aunts becomes a Broadway musical.
- The musical, titled 'Wanted,' is based on the tale of Mary and Martha Clarke.
- It took 12 years to bring this unique family story to the Broadway stage.
Angelica Chéri, a playwright and lyricist, transformed a Bakersfield family legend into the Broadway musical "Wanted." The story centers on her great-great aunts, Mary and Martha Clarke, rumored to be outlaws.
Chéri and composer Ross Baum began developing the musical in 2014 as a thesis project, initially titled "Gun & Powder." Despite few factual details, they crafted a narrative about biracial twins robbing whites to pay off debts.
The musical underwent significant development, including a production at Signature Theatre in 2020 and Paper Mill Playhouse in 2024. It has since been retitled "Wanted" to better reflect its Western theme and broader conversations about belonging.
Directed by Stevie Walker-Webb for its Broadway run at the James Earl Jones Theater starting October 15, "Wanted" promises a stylized, gritty experience akin to a spaghetti western. The production emphasizes emotional stakes and the dangerous pursuit of the American dream for Black women in 1893.
Solea Pfeiffer and Liisi LaFontaine reprise their roles as Mary and Martha, respectively. Both actresses, who are biracial, find personal resonance in playing characters who navigate their own racial identities. They lead a cast including Ledisi and Luke James.
