“Wanted,” a new musical about real-life twin sisters Mary and Martha Clarke, starts Broadway previews on October 15, 2026, at the James Earl Jones Theatre. Opening night is November 8. A digital lottery for a limited number of $35 tickets per performance opens October 14, the day before the first preview.
Key Takeaways
- “Wanted” tells the mostly true story of Mary and Martha Clarke, Black twin sisters who passed as white in 1893 Texas and became outlaws.
- Solea Pfeiffer plays Mary Clarke and Liisi LaFontaine plays Martha Clarke. Grammy winner Ledisi plays their mother, Tallulah.
- Angelica Chéri, a descendant of the Clarke sisters, wrote the book and lyrics. Ross Baum wrote the music.
- Stevie Walker-Webb, a Tony nominee known for “Ain’t No Mo’,” directs, and Chelsey Arce choreographs.
- The show played Paper Mill Playhouse in spring 2024 under its original title, “Gun & Powder.”
- Its run starts amid a busy October that includes openings for “Other Desert Cities” on October 18 and Billy Crystal’s “860” on October 21.
The Clarke Sisters Story Moves From Family History to Broadway
“Wanted” is set in Texas in 1893. Mary and Martha Clarke are Black twin sisters who pass as white and live in plain sight, which puts them between two Americas with very different rules. When their family’s survival is at stake, they take actions that turn them into outlaws while they fight for dignity, self-determination, and an inheritance they have been denied.
The story has a personal connection to its writer. Angelica Chéri, who wrote the book and lyrics, descends from the Clarke sisters, so the show is partly a family history brought to the stage. The production calls it a “mostly true” story, which signals that the writers are mixing documented history with storytelling. That approach has worked before for Broadway musicals based on real people.
Ross Baum, a Richard Rodgers Award winner, wrote the score. The cast and creative team have described it as mixing genres, which suits a story that is both a Western and a family drama.
Solea Pfeiffer, Liisi LaFontaine, and Ledisi Lead the Cast
Solea Pfeiffer plays Mary Clarke. Her Broadway credits include “Hadestown,” “Almost Famous,” and “Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” and she has played Mary in earlier versions of the show. Liisi LaFontaine plays Martha Clarke in her Broadway debut. She previously starred in the West End productions of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” and “Dreamgirls” and originated Martha at Paper Mill Playhouse.
The two actresses also led a June 2025 industry workshop in Manhattan. That continuity gives the Broadway cast an established partnership at the center of a story about two sisters who depend on each other.
Ledisi, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, plays Tallulah Clarke, the sisters’ mother. Luke James plays Elijah, and Bradley Jaden, known for “Les Misérables,” makes his Broadway debut as Jesse, a saloon owner. Aurelia Williams plays Sissy and Awa Sal Secka plays Flo. An ensemble called the Kinfolk, a chorus of ancestors, guides the sisters through the story.
Stevie Walker-Webb Directs a Production Built Over Several Years
Stevie Walker-Webb, an Obie winner and Tony nominee for “Ain’t No Mo’,” directs. Chelsey Arce, whose credits include the 2023 “Sweeney Todd” revival and “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” choreographs. Austin Cook is music director. P3 Productions, led by Ben Holtzman, Sammy Lopez, and Fiona Rudin, produces.
The show reached Broadway in stages. As “Gun & Powder,” it ran at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, in spring 2024. The new title came with the move to Broadway, followed by a workshop at New 42 Studios in Manhattan in June 2025. Developing a musical through regional runs and workshops before Broadway is a common path for new work.
The $35 Digital Lottery Opens Before the First Preview
The lottery opens October 14, one day before the first preview. A limited number of $35 tickets will be available for each performance through Telecharge’s rush platform. With Broadway prices often well above that, the lottery gives students, young professionals, and repeat theatergoers a cheaper way to see the show.
Low-cost access to Broadway is a familiar part of the city’s theater culture. Lotteries and rush tickets fill that role during the season, much as the free Broadway performances that bring cast members to Bryant Park each July do in summer.
Wanted Enters a Busy October on Broadway
“Wanted” starts previews during a crowded stretch of the fall season. The revival of Jon Robin Baitz’s “Other Desert Cities,” with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris, Allison Janney, Joe Keery, and Lily Rabe, opens October 18 at the Hudson Theatre. Billy Crystal’s solo show “860,” about the house his family lost in the Palisades fire, opens October 21 at the Imperial Theatre. Bruce Norris’s “Downstate” has delayed its first Broadway preview.
Many of the fall productions are revivals, star vehicles, or adaptations. “Wanted” is an original musical based on a little-known chapter of American history, which sets it apart. Its November 8 opening will be the first major test of how New York audiences respond.
FAQs
When do previews for “Wanted” begin on Broadway?
Previews begin October 15, 2026, at the James Earl Jones Theatre. Opening night is November 8, 2026.
What is “Wanted” the musical about?
It tells the mostly true story of Mary and Martha Clarke, Black twin sisters who passed as white in 1893 Texas and became outlaws while fighting for their family and inheritance.
How does the “Wanted” $35 lottery work?
A digital lottery opens October 14 and offers a limited number of $35 tickets for each performance through Telecharge’s rush platform.
Who stars in “Wanted” on Broadway?
Solea Pfeiffer plays Mary Clarke and Liisi LaFontaine plays Martha Clarke, with Ledisi as Tallulah Clarke, Luke James as Elijah, and Bradley Jaden as Jesse.
Was “Wanted” performed before its Broadway run?
Yes. It played Paper Mill Playhouse in spring 2024 under its original title, “Gun & Powder,” and had an industry workshop in Manhattan in June 2025.
