Time - INT (2022-06-06)

JACKSON:J A C K S O N : M A L I K E S I D I B E ; D E B O S E : T R U N K A R C H I V E ; S E Y F R I E D : M O L LY M ATA L O N — T H E N E W Y O R K T I M E S / R E D U X

MALIKE

J A C K S O N : M A L I K E S I D I B E ; D E B O S E : T R U N K A R C H I V E ; S E Y F R I E D : M O L LY M ATA L O N — T H E N E W Y O R K T I M E S / R E D U X

SIDIBE;

DEBOSE:

TRUNK

ARCHIVE;

SEYFRIED:

MOLLY

MATALON—THE

NEW

YORK

TIMES/REDUX

MMichael Richael R..

JacksonJackson

Rewriting the scriptRewriting the script

B Y B I L LY P O R T E RB Y B I L LY P O R T E R

When I saw Michael R. Jackson’s When I saw Michael R. Jackson’s
musical musical A Strange LoopA Strange Loop off-Broadway, off-Broadway,
I saw myself in the lead character I saw myself in the lead character
of Usher. It was the first time I of Usher. It was the first time I
had ever seen a contemporary had ever seen a contemporary
musical investigate this particular musical investigate this particular
human being—from his feelings of human being—from his feelings of
unworthiness to his relationship with unworthiness to his relationship with
his Tyler Perry–loving, churchgoing his Tyler Perry–loving, churchgoing
mother. I felt so inspired.mother. I felt so inspired.
When Jackson wrote this play, When Jackson wrote this play,
he was saying: I have to lean in to he was saying: I have to lean in to
my authenticity and my truth, even my authenticity and my truth, even
though there’s nothing in the market though there’s nothing in the market
that would encourage me to do so. that would encourage me to do so.
The manifestation of him doing that The manifestation of him doing that
is remarkable. My hope is that it is remarkable. My hope is that it
will bring a shift in consciousness will bring a shift in consciousness
in terms of where people put their in terms of where people put their
money and what stories are put money and what stories are put
forward. It gives hope for people forward. It gives hope for people
like me whose stories have been like me whose stories have been
undervalued for so long.undervalued for so long.
To have a musical about a Black, To have a musical about a Black,
overweight, out queer man is the overweight, out queer man is the
change. And this year, it’s the one change. And this year, it’s the one
with the most Tony nominations. with the most Tony nominations.
So Michael: thank you for being So Michael: thank you for being
brave and bold, from the bottom brave and bold, from the bottom
of my heart. of my heart.

Porter is a Tony- and Emmy Award–Porter is a Tony- and Emmy Award–
winning actorwinning actor

32 Time June 6/June 13, 2022 PHOTOGRAPH BY JINGYU LIN

Time - INT (2022-06-06)

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