Step into the electrifying nightlife of the Harlem
Renaissance…
…where jazz, blues, and rebellion collide in the smoky cabarets of 1920s Harlem.
A bold new original musical inspired by the true story of Gladys Bentley, the tuxedo-clad piano virtuoso who shattered expectations and became one of Harlem’s most daring performers.
But behind the roaring applause and glittering nightlife lies the story of a woman fighting to live authentically in a world determined to silence her. As fame, love, faith, and identity collide, Gladys must decide whether the price of belonging is worth the cost of her freedom.
Featuring a book, music & lyrics by Richmond, VA-based award-winning composer Jason Marks.
WHY THIS STORY NOW
Gladys Bentley was a trailblazer long before the world had language for who she was.
A commanding performer in a tuxedo and top hat, she electrified Harlem nightlife in the 1920s and ’30s —
openly challenging expectations of gender, sexuality, and identity.
And yet, her story has largely been forgotten - or rewritten.
As conversations around identity, expression, and belonging continue to evolve, Gladys’s life feels not only relevant, but urgent. She lived boldly in a time that offered her little protection, and her voice - joyful, defiant, complicated - still resonates today.
Gladys: A New Musical seeks to reclaim her story, honoring both the icon the world saw and the woman behind the performance. In doing so, it asks a timeless question:
What does it cost to live as your true self — and what does it mean to finally be free?
Gladys is developed with input from scholars, artists, and community voices connected to Gladys Bentley's legacy.
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