A new musical, “XTRAVAGANZA,”

(From L to R: Kyle Abraham, Khiyon Hursey, Patrick B. Phillips, José Xtravaganza, Stevie Walker-Webb, R. Eric Thomas, Bill Sherman; Location: Gibney 890 Broadway - 5th Floor. Photo by Michaelah Reynolds)

A Creative Force Drawn from Community

 

A new musical, “XTRAVAGANZA,” is poised to electrify New York’s theater scene, marshaling some of the most in-demand voices working in musical theatre today. The powerhouse creative team includes Khiyon Hursey, acclaimed for his work on “Hamilton,” writer and humorist R. Eric Thomas, MacArthur “Genius” choreographer Kyle Abraham, and Tony-nominated director Stevie Walker-Webb. Producer Isabel Kallman leads a roster that reads like a who’s who of progressive Broadway, with Bill Sherman (“In the Heights”) serving as music supervisor and contributions from the LA-based production duo Matthew Campfield and Daniel Klein of Some Randoms, alongside music director/conductor Patrick B. Phillips.​

An Icon’s Story, Center Stage

The heart of “XTRAVAGANZA” is the extraordinary life of José Xtravaganza, a titan of the NYC ballroom scene whose artistry helped to shape and popularize Voguing on a global scale. The musical mines the rich underground world of 1980s and 1990s New York—where chosen family, fierce competition, and self-invention converged—viewed through the eyes of one of ballroom’s last living pioneers. For José, now the Overall Father of the House of Xtravaganza, it’s a story about the possibility of not just surviving but soaring by daring to walk your own runway.​

Runway and Resilience

Set within the hallowed halls and hard-fought ballrooms that defined the era, “XTRAVAGANZA” promises a theatrical fusion like no other: Broadway storytelling collides with Voguing battles, pulsating choreography, and original music that draws equally on the traditions of musical theatre and the underground dance floor. The show’s authenticity is burnished by a cast that includes not just seasoned musical performers but members of today’s Ball community, including the House of Xtravaganza, The Iconic House of Miyake-Mugler, Haus of Telfar, International House of Unbothered Cartier, and Iconic House of Juicy Couture.​

A Homecoming at Gibney Studios

Producers are presenting the first workshop of “XTRAVAGANZA” at Gibney Studios, 890 Broadway—a storied site in Broadway’s trajectory and a meaningful one for José, who trained there as a ballet dancer. The opening scene of the musical draws inspiration from this very location, underscoring a sense of homecoming for both artist and art form.​

The company includes Jackson Kanawha Perry, Samora la Perdida, Angel Lozada, Amuri Nabeel, Luis Herrera, Amara Gisele Xtravaganza, Sis Thee Doll, Nesziah Dennis, Cedric Leiba Jr., Kya Azeen Thomas, Maximo Xtravaganza, Ernest Allen, Bryce Farris, Michael Samarie George, Darius “Zenith” Case, Justin Thomas Rivers, Dava Huesca, Isabella Xtravaganza, Caleb Bermejo, and Kevin JZ Prodigy, all channeling the energy of the ball scene into musical theatre’s present tense.​

Culture, Community, Self-Expression

Bespoke Theatricals serves as general manager for a production aiming not just to entertain, but to assert the transformative power of unapologetic self-expression. “XTRAVAGANZA” stands as an exuberant affirmation that what was once considered underground can become mainstream—and in doing so, change the world.