A Wrinkle in Time – a New Musical is a Must See Cosmic Adventure
A Wrinkle in Time – A New Musical
Arena Stage
Jordan Wright
June 28, 2025
Taylor Iman Jones (Meg) and Jon Patrick Walker (Father) in A Wrinkle in Time at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. (Photo/T Charles Erickson Photography)
“I got blown off course on the tail end of a tesseract,” explains Mrs Whatsit, describing traveling through time and space by wrinkling the fabric of the universe. And, boom! Off we go, as prolific novelist Madeleine L’Engle’s tale of space travelers comes to life. Three teens, the awkward and gutsy Meg Murry, Calvin O’Keefe, her poetry-loving boyfriend and her mindreading brother Charles Wallace Murry, “I get these convulsions”, begin their cosmic adventure through the fifth dimension to find their scientist father, Dr. Alex Murry, who has teleported to the dark planet of Camazotz where he is being held captive by an evil ruler. These kids have their work cut out for them – logically, mathematically and emotionally.
You probably saw A Wrinkle in Time listed in my monthly “What’s Onstage in the DMV” column. Since its opening, the most frequent query I’ve received has been, “Is this for kids or adults?” Millions have seen the movie and millions more have read L’Engle’s book and that’s useful, because it’s tricky to follow if you don’t know you’ll be traveling to different universes. It was for me. To guide me through the megaverse (or should I say, multiverse, I am not well-versed in these things), I brought along a friend who is a huge fan of the book and knew both the characters and the story. But to answer who should see this? Everyone!
The company of A Wrinkle in Time. (Photo/T Charles Erickson Photography)
Apart from some sound issues on opening night, this is a highly imaginative production in both story and score written by Heather Christian, a highly acclaimed composer, performer and librettist. It is structured as a sung-through with little spoken dialogue. The music is extraordinary – otherworldly and humanly harmonic – and the cast is fire! I promise you’ve never heard anything like it.
We do meet the children’s mother who has been anxiously awaiting her husband’s return, three muses, or shall we call them seers – Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who and Mrs Which – there is no Mrs Whatchamacallit. The three guide the children through the cosmos with hot tips, urgings and comforting malaprops. These kids most assuredly need their help to navigate 5.3 million light years through the shifting galaxies and bizarre characters and creatures they encounter along the way.
Amber Gray (Mrs Whatsit), Stacey Sargeant (Mrs Who), and Vicki Lewis (Mrs Which). (Photo/DJ Corey)
There are political undertones to the story and it’s fun and challenging to grok them as they pop up like ghost stars – totally unpredictable and oh, so clever. Through storms and dark matter, aliens, heroes and colorful no-nothings, Meg finds her voice and takes charge of the maelstrom threatening to consume them. The sets by dots, costumes by Sarafina Bush, and puppet design and puppetry by James Ortiz converge to create this masterfully designed universe where we can all be transported as we dance and sing our way through the cosmos. “And in the end, the love you make, is equal to the love you take.” – – Paul McCartney, composer/lyricist from “The End” on the Abbey Road album.
Highly recommended! Fresh, captivating, and extraordinary!!!
With Taylor Iman Jones as Meg; Nicholas Barrón as Calvin; Mateo Lizcano as Charles Wallace; Jon Patrick Walker as Father/Ensemble; Andrea Jones-Sojola as Mother/Aunt Beast; Amber Gray as Mrs Whatsit; Vicki Lewis as Mrs Which; Stacey Sargeant as Mrs Who; Leanne Antonio as Paper Girl/Ensemble; Kimberly Dodson as Happy Medium/Beast/Ensemble; Aidan Joyce as Camazotzian Brother/Ensemble; Gabrielle Rice as Beast/Ensemble; Jayke Workman as Affirmations Man/Ensemble; Michael Di Liberto as Man with the Red Eyes/Ensemble; Rebecca Madeira, Ensemble; Ronald Joe Williams, Ensemble.
Book by Lauren Yee; Directed by Lee Sunday Evans; Choreographed by Ani Taj; Lighting Design by Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew; Sound Design by Nick Kourtides; Wig and Hair Design by Alberto “Albee” Alvarado; Makeup Design by Kirk Cambridge-Del Pesche; Orchestrations by StarFish; Arrangements by Heather Christian; Music Direction by Ben Moss; Fight Consultant, Robb Hunter; Dance Captain, Leanne Antonio.
Through July 20th at Arena Stage, 1101 Sixth Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024. For tickets and information call the box office at 202 488-3300 or visit www.ArenaStage.org.