"Wanted," a musical about two Black sisters who passed as white to become outlaws in 1890s Texas, began Broadway previews Thursday at the James Earl Jones Theatre, with opening night set for November 8.
The show, formerly titled "Gun & Powder," tells what its producers describe as the mostly true story of twin sisters Mary and Martha Clarke, played by Solea Pfeiffer and Liisi LaFontaine, who go from farmgirls to outlaws to local legend. Angelica Chéri, a descendant of the real Clarke sisters, wrote the book and lyrics; Ross Baum composed the score; Chelsey Arce choreographed; and Stevie Walker-Webb directs, according to production details reported by Playbill and the Shubert Organization.
The cast also includes singer Ledisi as Tallulah Clarke, Grammy-nominated R&B artist Luke James as Elijah, and Bradley Jaden, making his Broadway debut, as Jesse. Aurelia Williams and Awa Sal Secka play Sissy and Flo; Secka originated the role of Flo in the show's 2020 world premiere at Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, and Williams played Sissy when the musical ran at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey in 2024, where it drew solid reviews under its earlier title.
Chéri's connection to the material as a descendant of the real Clarke sisters has been a central part of the show's marketing since its earliest staging. The musical has now spent more than six years in development, moving from its 2020 regional premiere through the 2024 Paper Mill production before reaching Broadway this fall.
The production is booked at the James Earl Jones Theatre through March 31, 2027. It arrives as part of a crowded October slate of Broadway openings and previews that also includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus's Broadway debut in "Other Desert Cities," Billy Crystal's one-man show "860," and a revival of "A Few Good Men" starring Bradley Whitford and Tom Blyth.
With previews just underway, no major outlets have published reviews yet; critics typically hold notices until closer to a show's official opening. "Wanted" will be watched in part as a test of audience appetite for a historical musical built around twin sisters passing for white to survive, a premise producers have pitched as a little-known chapter of Western outlaw history reclaimed for the stage.
