About
Angelica
Photo by Mary Kang/For The Washington Post
Angelica Chéri is an NAACP Award–nominated playwright, musical theatre bookwriter and lyricist, screenwriter, and poet. She was named by Variety as one of Broadway’s Top Ten Stars to Watch in 2025, and by The Washington Post as part of its “Next 50,” recognizing individuals shaping American culture and society in 2026.
She is the book writer and lyricist of the Broadway-bound musical WANTED (formerly Gun & Powder), which will open at the James Earl Jones Theater in Fall 2026 following acclaimed runs at Signature Theatre and Paper Mill Playhouse, where it was named a New York Times Critic’s Pick. With WANTED, Chéri becomes the first Black woman to write both the book and lyrics of a wholly original Broadway musical.
Her theatrical work includes the Prophet’s Cycle Trilogy—The Seeds of Abraham (Signature Theatre, Billie Holiday Theatre), The Sting of White Roses (North Carolina Black Repertory Company, National Black Theatre Festival), and Crowndation; I Will Not Lie to David (Center Theatre Group, National Black Theatre I AM SOUL Residency)—as well as Berta, Berta (published by TRW) and The Wiring & the Switches (Geffen Playhouse). She is also the writer of Phenomenal Woman, a biographical play on the life of Dr. Maya Angelou, directed by Emmy Award–winning director and cultural icon Debbie Allen and slated for Broadway in 2028 in alignment with Dr. Angelou’s centennial.
Photo by Mary Kang/For The Washington Post
In television, Chéri is a writer on the award-winning series Godfather of Harlem (Seasons Three and Four), starring Forest Whitaker. Her additional screenwriting credits include the biopic of R&B icon Keyshia Cole and the Highway to Heaven reboot starring Jill Scott (Lifetime).
Chéri has also written for major immersive and experiential works, including Warriors of Wakanda: The Disciplines of the Dora Milaje for Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure and An Evening with Gaya aboard the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser at Walt Disney World.
She holds a BA in Theatre from UCLA, an MFA in Playwriting from Columbia University, and an MFA in Musical Theatre Writing from NYU.
Photo by Mary Kang/For The Washington Post
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Naveen Kumar
[WANTED] is the type of audacious and rollicking story that’s too often missing from American stages: proof that for as long as people have been kept down, there have been those who managed to find joy in fighting back.”
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Marina Kennedy
“The score is compelling with soulful melodies, romantic ballads, and vibrant tunes. Songs complement the story beautifully. The numbers are memorable and wonderfully performed.”
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Juan A. Ramirez
“Chéri has a gift for theatricality, beautifully realized by Walker-Webb’s staging. What they create — along with the insanely talented ensemble — is an often breathtaking musical as big as its ambitions, and as fun-loving as its gun-toting heroines.”
