NEWARK, NJ — TaNisha Fordham Productions, in association with the city of Newark, announces the world premiere of the new musical “TaNisha Fordham’s Snatch Yo’ Free,” written by, directed by, produced by and starring this year’s American Express directing fellow and the current associate director of the five-time Tony Award–winning Broadway musical company, Fordham. As part of Newark’s second Theater in the Park event, this year’s musical production is free and open to the public. The show will be performed at Mulberry Commons on Mulberry Street in Newark on Fridays, July 22 and 29, and Aug. 5 and 12, at 7 p.m.
“TaNisha Fordham the EGOT,” the poetic narrative novel, from which the new musical was adapted, was released to the public June 12, 2022. Fordham, who currently holds the position of associate director on the Broadway revival of “Company,” has recently been inspired by the theme of freedom from waiting for the validation of others. The production, written in rhyme, as is the novel, with hip-hop, funk, soul, traditional musical theater, gospel, neo-soul and spoken word nods, celebrates community.
“It isn’t lost on me how often I feel out of place here at the Bernard E. Jacobs Theater. Even as one of the associate directors on the team I often feel out of place. It’s no one’s fault, really. No one is doing anything, specifically. I don’t have war stories, necessarily, about some great injustice that’s been directed at me,” Fordham said. “In fact, I was first selected as a directing fellow with the Black Theatre Coalition for the rehearsal process of ‘Company.’ But then, the producer and director decided to keep me; they saw me. They acknowledged me and validated that I was contributing in this space. Yet still, I feel most days like I’ve felt most of my life: I just don’t quite fit.”
“TaNisha Fordham’s Snatch Yo’ Free” is an unabashed celebration of who people already are regardless of what they will become. The musical asks the challenging questions: Why do certain people and communities not have access to opportunity/acknowledgement? Are these communities going to wait for acknowledgement and access to stand up and be counted? The answer, from Fordham, is, “No. We will not wait.”
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