‘BKLYN The Musical’

Five homeless street performers, who call themselves the City Weeds, set up a stage on a street corner under the Brooklyn Bridge. They use whatever they can find to create their sets and costumes. In this story within a story, the troupe tells of a young Parisian girl, Brooklyn. She travels to New York to search for the father she never knew and ends up in a battle with a salty diva, Paradice. The touching tale is backed by soaring vocals and powerful pop/rhythm & blues music.

“BKLYN The Musical” marked the Broadway debut for collaboration team Mark Schoenfeld and Barri McPherson. Broadway Licensing Global reports that Schoenfeld and McPherson met in 1982. She was singing at a cabaret, and he briefly hired her to record some of his music. In 1991, McPherson stopped at a remote street corner in Brooklyn Heights upon hearing a familiar singing voice. It was Schoenfeld, who had become a homeless street performer. She invited him to stay with her family in Massachusetts. “BKLYN The Musical” was born, with Schoenfeld’s street experiences as an inspiration.

The musical premiered on April 30, 2003, in Denver, Colorado, and on Broadway on Oct. 21, 2004, at the Plymouth Theatre.

Swift Creek Mill Theatre

Swift Creek Mill Theatre opened in 1965 inside one of the oldest landmarks in the nation. The 300-plus-year-old grist mill, while repurposed for the theater, retains its historic charm and character. The building is ADA accessible.

The Mill offers pre-show dinner, too, with menus inspired by the performances, for an easy pleasing evening of dinner and a show.

“BKLYN The Musical”
Book, music, and lyrics by Mark Schoenfeld and Barri McPherson
Jan. 27 to Feb. 17, 2024
Swift Creek Mill Theatre, 17401 Route 1, South Chesterfield, VA
To purchase tickets, go to SwiftCreekMill.com or call 804-748-5203.