Courtesy of Florian Wehde
For better or worse, controversial art is once again reaching for the Broadway stage. Todrick Hall’s “Midnight” has been on a critical roller coaster since its initial debut—opening to immense positive buzz (many commentators said they felt like they had watched the next “Hamilton”) then crashing dramatically once the show’s plot points reached a wider audience.
To summarize, Todrick Hall’s “Midnight” is a musical about an enslaved Black man in the 19th-century American South falling in love with his enslaver. In a second act twist, a dramatic role reversal occurs, and the white enslavers become the enslaved, literally walking a mile in the other’s shoes. The website lists “Midnight” as being suitable for viewers ages twelve and up. Before its current Off-Broadway run, the show premiered as a workshop in the West End. There, the show received mostly uncritical praise. Critics thought it was catchy, well-designed, and considered its central topic well-handled, if overly ambitious. In an Off-Broadway theater, however, “Midnight” has struck a different chord. After opening to initially glowing reviews, many Black theater critics panned the show for its controversial central romance, and stereotypical scenes such as the enslaver teaching the enslaved man how to read and how to swim. Additionally, the show’s depictions of violence— an off-stage lynching and on-stage whipping— have been described as poorly handled.
The reception of “Midnight” has also sparked broader questions about representation of African Americans on Broadway. Following the 2025 Broadway revival of Ragtime and 2023’s Slave Play, audiences may have become tired of Black characters being depicted only in the context of racism and racialized violence. It seems that for many, this highly controversial musical was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
It’s too early to say whether or not “Midnight” will make its heavily speculated Broadway transfer. However, this intensely mixed reception will likely be a stain on its legacy. (Since this controversy erupted, the show’s ticket prices have lowered significantly.) Although Broadway has never been a democracy, audiences still have the ability to vote with their dollar, and producers have always been concerned with selling tickets. Whether the show’s controversy is enough to outweigh its buzz and enough to dissuade its existing backers remains to be seen. At a time when representational politics feels somewhat passé, “Midnight” has reopened the wound of how we want our communities to be depicted.
