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A young man returns home to the African coastal city of Mombasa, Kenya to marry his fiancée and step into his family’s political dynasty. But when he visits Moto Moto—a steamy afro jazz club and the stomping ground of his youth—he finds himself drawn to a mysterious new singer. Soon, he must decide whether to fulfill the legacy of his lineage or give in to his love of music and a newfound attraction. A new musical inspired by the ancient myth of Marimba, the goddess of music.

Leadership support for Songlabs is provided by Jill Furman. Additional support is provided through The Gary Platt Initiative for New Musicals.

Learn More about MCC’s PlayLab Series.

CREATIVE TEAM

JOCELYN BIOH (PLAYWRIGHT) is a 1st generation Ghanaian-American writer/performer from New York City. She has her B.A. in English and Theatre from The Ohio State University and MFA in Theatre-Playwriting from Columbia University School of the Arts. Jocelyn is a commissioned playwright with MTC, Second Stage, Williamstown and the Atlantic and was a Tow Playwriting Fellow in 2018/19. Her plays include: the multi-award winning School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play which had two celebrated runs at MCC Theater. Nollywood Dreams (PowerHouse 2016, Upcoming: MCC Theater 2020, Kilroy’s List 2015,) as well the new musical GODDESS (PowerHouse 2019) of which she is the book writer. As a TV writer, Jocelyn has worked on the hit Netflix shows “Russian Doll” and “She’s Gotta Have It.” She is currently serving as a writer and co-producer of the upcoming mini series AMERICANAH for HBO-MAX. Jocelyn is MCC Theater’s Burnt Umber Playwright-in-Residence.

MICHAEL THURBER (MUSIC AND LYRICS) is an NYC based composer/performer.  He has written music for The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Public Theater, Manhattan Theater Club, and The Atlantic. His work has been developed at The Eugene O’Neill Theater Conference and SPACE @ Ryder Farm.  Past productions include his one man musical The Booty Call (TBG Theater) that he wrote and performed, and Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at The Public Theater, which he wrote the music for and played the role of Antonio.  Michael was the bass player on Season 1 of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. He co-founded CDZA, a YouTube music collective which headlined at the YouTube Music Awards alongside Lady Gaga and Arcade Fire. Thurber’s symphonic pieces have been performed by orchestras around the country including The Louisville Orchestra, The Williamsburg Symphony, and The Interlochen Orchestra. Michael sits on the Board of NPR’s “From The Top”. He studied music at Juilliard.

SAHEEM ALI  (DIRECTOR) is a proud immigrant from Kenya. Recent productions include Fires in the Mirror (Signature Theatre), The New Englanders (MTC), The Rolling Stone (Lincoln Center Theater), Passage (Soho Rep), Fireflies (Atlantic Theater Company), Dangerous House (Williamstown Theater Festival), Sugar in Our Wounds (MTC), Tartuffe (Playmakers Rep), Where Storms Are Born (WTF), Twelfth Night (Public Theater), Kill Move Paradise (National Black Theater), Nollywood Dreams (Cherry Lane), The Booty Call (Inner Voices) and Dot (Detroit Public Theater). He has workshopped new plays at Playwrights Horizons, Playwrights Realm, MCC, New York Stage & Film, Page 73 and The Lark. He is a Usual Suspect at New York Theater Workshop, Sir John Gielgud SDCF Fellow and a Shubert Fellow.