About the Show

Directed by Whitney White; music by Sia with Honey Dijon; book by Damon Cardasis & James Ijames.

Ulysses, a New York City teenager and standout tenor in his aunt’s church choir, chances upon “Saturday Church,” a weekly refuge for LGBTQ+ youth he meets on the subway. Torn between the strict expectations of his household and the self‑affirming community he discovers, he searches for a place where family, faith, and identity can coexist, set to a score that shifts from gospel to house and pop.

The production is directed by Whitney White (Tony Award nominee, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding) from a book and additional lyrics by Damon Cardasis (Emmy Award nominee, She Came to Me) and James Ijames (Pulitzer Prize winner, Fat Ham). Music and lyrics are by Sia (Grammy Award nominee, “Chandelier”), with additional music by Honey Dijon (Grammy Award winner, Black Girl Magic).

Critic Reviews (11)

" 'Saturday Church', like the program that inspired it, is well-intentioned and anchored by two types of faith: in the body of Christ, yes, but also bodies on the dance floor.
Read more

" 'Saturday Church’s' heart is in the right place, but its conventionality overpowers the serene joy that comes with just being around your people."
Read more

"tends to focus on the joy of finding yourself, but that joy would shine more brightly if it allowed its characters to work through more of their entwined grief."
Read more

"Sweet and sad, you root for him (Battle) from the second he walks on stage. Then he starts singing with his insane multioctave voice and it’s game over. "
Read more

"Its messages of inclusion, affirmation, and the merging of adopted and natural families into a unified, supportive whole is so positive and, in these times, so needed."
Read more

“Saturday Church” is quality entertainment with a path that may lead to Broadway in the future. This is a church that should be celebrated every day of the week, spreading a non-judgmental message that we all need to hear at this present time.
Read more

"to those who know the movie, or the real-life community that inspired it, the musical can feel like overkill"
Read more

Sia’s score is full of bangers, and the musical routines consistently impress — but the book scenes are a messy mix of underdeveloped characters and contradictory storylines.
Read more