Welcome to the official website for GRACE
About GRACE
Take one family.
Add a dash of hope, a sprinkle of spice, and a heaping handful of love, and you’ve got a recipe for pure musical joy.
Like sitting down to a heaping plate of jambalaya and finishing it with a slice of pecan pie, GRACE is the rich musical feast seasoned with the vibrant traditions of African-America history.
After their beloved "Gran'Me" passes away, the Mintons reunite at their cherished family restaurant, Minton’s Place – home to a century of classic African-America dishes. As with any family gathering, joy abounds, souls are bared, secrets revealed, and drama ensues. But in the end, with a little grace, the Mintons bond to preserve and savor a lasting legacy.
See what these critics are saying about GRACE
"...a mouth-watering dish... served with super-charged music"
"...a mouth-watering dish... served with super-charged music"
"...a mouth-watering dish... served with super-charged music"
David Friscic, BroadwayWorld
"...a knockout of a musical"
"...a mouth-watering dish... served with super-charged music"
"...a mouth-watering dish... served with super-charged music"
Andre Hereford, MetroWeekly
"...unstoppably entertaining"
"...a mouth-watering dish... served with super-charged music"
"...a rich tapestry... with a wonderful score"
Gregory Ford, D.C. Metro Theatre Arts
"...a rich tapestry... with a wonderful score"
"...some of the best music I've heard in a long time"
"...a rich tapestry... with a wonderful score"
Jordan Wright, Whisk and Quill
"...a delectable delight"
"...some of the best music I've heard in a long time"
"...some of the best music I've heard in a long time"
Gail Choochan, The Free Lance-Star
"...some of the best music I've heard in a long time"
"...some of the best music I've heard in a long time"
"...some of the best music I've heard in a long time"
Brenda Siler, The Washington Informer
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Making 'a good thing great!'
Since our successful world premiere run at Ford's Theatre, the GRACE creative team has been busy refining the musical.
"We learned so much about the show during its premiere run," says GRACE Creator/Producer Nolan Williams, Jr. "Nikkole Salter (co-book writer) and I have been working on the show ever since."
This continued work has led to a developmental residency at The Kennedy Center in December 2022, an act one creative retreat and work session at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, FL (May 2023), and an act two creative retreat at Arena Stage/Mead Center for American Theater, (Washington, D.C.) in June 2024.
According to Williams, Jr., "If folk loved the show before, they will be blown away by the changes we've made! We're taking the time we feel we need to make a good thing great!"
Stay tuned for further updates!
And enjoy the following images and press links from our 2023 work session in Orlando.
The Company of the GRACE Work Session at the Dr. Phillips Center | PHOTO CREDIT: NEWorks Productions
Broadway World
Central Florida Lifestyle
Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
Central Florida Lifestyle
Orlando Sentinel
Central Florida Lifestyle
Central Florida Lifestyle
Central Florida Lifestyle
GRACE 2022 premiere at Ford's Theatre
GRACE, our electrifying new musical feast celebrating the perseverance of family and the value of cultural preservation—written by acclaimed American composer Nolan Williams Jr. and award-winning playwright Nikkole Salter and directed & choreographed by Robert Barry Fleming—premiered at the historic Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C.
Here are some highlights of our premiere:
58 performances
20,000+ patrons from across the nation
2,000,000+ social media view
760 D.C. area students served through our matinee performances
8 critical reviews
1 BIG HIT!!!
Broadway World's First Look Images of GRACE
The Company of GRACE (Photo Credit: André Chung)
Our GRACE Production Team
Robert Barry Fleming
Nolan Williams, Jr.
Robert Barry Fleming
Director / Choreographer
Nolan Williams, Jr. / NEWorks Productions
Nolan Williams, Jr. / NEWorks Productions
Nolan Williams, Jr. / NEWorks Productions
Producer
Dale A. Mott / Edgewood Entertainment
Nolan Williams, Jr. / NEWorks Productions
Nolan Williams, Jr. / NEWorks Productions
Producer
Our GRACE Ambassadors
Chef Carla Hall
We are thrilled to announce celebrity chef Carla Hall as our official Culinary Ambassador.
Click below to read Carla's USA Today Op Ed: "Black History Month: Let's revive healthy soul food. It's more than just fried chicken." (February 1, 2020)
Sheila C. Johnson
We are delighted to announce business mogul Sheila C. Johnson as our official Hospitality Ambassador.
Our Development of GRACE
GRACE has been in development since 2014. Here are some key project milestones:
June 2024
GRACE, the Musical
Act two creative retreat
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, Washington, D.C.
May 14 - May 27, 2023
GRACE, the Musical
Act one creative retreat, work session & concert reading
Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center, Orlando, FL
January 27, 2023
GRACE, the Musical
GRACE sweeps the BroadwayWorld D.C. Awards, winning Best Musical, Best New Musical, Best Direction, Best Choreography, Best Ensemble Performance, Best Lighting Design, Best Scenic Design, Best Sound Design, Best Costume Design, Best Performer in a Musical (Nova Y. Payton), and Best Music Direction & Orchestra Performance
December 2022
GRACE, the Musical
Theatre developmental residency
The Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.
March 24, 2022
GRACE, the Musical
The National Restaurant Association Educational Fund and “GRACE” announce partnership to celebrate the cultural diversity and traditions of Black-owned restaurants
March 19 - May 14, 2022
GRACE, the Musical
World premiere and production run
Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C.
August 11 - August 24, 2021
GRACE, the Musical
Work session, The New 42nd Street Studios
Industry Presentations, Alvin Ailey Studios
July 12, 2021
GRACE, the Musical
Variety.com announces that producers Nolan Williams, Jr./NEWorks Productions and Dale A. Mott/Edgewood—along with consulting producers Randy Adams and Sue Frost—will present two invitation-only industry presentations of GRACE in NYC on August 24, 2021.
May 25, 2021
GRACE, the Musical
The #ByGrace Live Chat Series is awarded two Telly Awards Bronze Prizes for Best Non-Scripted Online Series and Best Food & Beverage Online Series.
April 20, 2021
GRACE, the Musical
Ford’s Theatre Society Announces World-Premiere Musical to Premiere at Historic Ford’s Theatre in Spring 2022.
April 21, 2020
GRACE, the Musical
Celebrity Chef Carla Hall and GRACE creator/composer Nolan Williams, Jr. launch the #ByGrace Live Chat Series on Facebook and Instagram, to share the history and themes that have inspired the show. The series has, to date, reached over 500,000 globally featuring special guests like businesswoman Sheila Johnson, author/food historian Michael Twitty, CBS This Morning Saturday Co-host Michelle Miller, and Broadway legend Brian Stokes Mitchell.
April 12, 2020
GRACE, the Musical
Celebrity Chef Carla Hall is announced as culinary ambassador.
"When Gran'Me Cooked," the finale selection from the show, is released on video featuring the Cast of GRACE. The music video has garnered 100,000+ combined reaches across multiple platforms (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and this official website).
March 2020
Grace the Musical, LLC is officially established.
March 25 - April 12, 2020
GRACE
2020 Humana Festival production run
Actors Theatre, Louisville, KY
(cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic)
January 2020
GRACE
Workshop residency, Actors Theatre, Louisville, KY
November 2019
GRACE
Announcement of selection for the
2020 Humana Festival of New American Plays
September 2018
THE NOLAN WILLIAMS PROJECT
Concert reading, Joe's Movement Emporium
Mount Rainier, MD
May 2018
THE NOLAN WILLIAMS PROJECT (aka MINTON’S PLACE)
Workshop residency & concert reading, Cleveland Play House
New Ground Theatre Festival, Cleveland, OH
Nikkole Salter joins the project as co-book writer.
May 2017
THE NOLAN WILLIAMS PROJECT
Workshop residency & concert reading, Cleveland Play House
New Ground Theatre Festival, Cleveland, OH
June 27, 2016
A DATE WITH A DISH
Performance, 53rd Grand Boulé Archousai Luncheon, Washington, D.C.
2015
GOOD LAWD, LET'S EAT
Robert Barry Fleming, then Director of Artistic Programming at Arena Stage, begins to mentor Nolan re the development of the work. During this period, Nolan decides to make the work a book musical.
2014
GOOD LAWD, LET'S EAT
Nolan begins work on a musical revue, drawing inspiration from the rich history of African American culinary traditions. The idea for this work was sparked by his mentor and friend, the late Steven C. Newsome, former director of what was then the Smithsonian Anacostia Museum of African American History and Culture.
Send media inquiries to:
Jim Byk / Nina M. Ward, The Press Room-NYC
Friends of GRACE
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