Tony Award winner Lillias White and Reeve Carney will reunite Off-Broadway in Alan Govenar’s musical Texas in Paris, playing The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center from January 14 through February 28, 2027, with an official opening on January 21.
The Hadestown Co-Stars Reunite for a Roots-Music Exploration
Lillias White and Reeve Carney are heading back to the stage together. Following their runs in Hadestown, the pair are set to anchor a limited Off-Broadway engagement of Texas in Paris. Directed by Akin Babatundé and produced by Documentary Arts and Connecting Cultures, the musical brings a specialized songbook back to New York City following its 2015 premiere at The York Theatre.
The Bottom Line
Performance Dates: The production runs from January 14 to February 28, 2027, at The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center.
Creative Team: Written by Alan Govenar and directed by Akin Babatundé, featuring design contributions from a seasoned Broadway creative roster.
The Premise: Based on true events, the story follows a Black nanny singing a cappella spirituals and a white cowboy performing country hymns invited to perform in Paris, sparking an unexpected dialogue.
Inside the Musical Framework of Texas in Paris
Based on true events, Texas in Paris explores an unlikely pairing. Two Texans—a Black nanny who sings a cappella spirituals and a white cowboy who performs country hymns and songs of the Old West—find themselves invited to Paris to share the music of the “real Texas” with a French audience. The characters have never met before arriving abroad. Through their music, they navigate an unexpected dialogue about race and cultural baggage.
Playwright Alan Govenar noted in production statements that the show “embraces a musical songbook rarely heard in New York theatre.” Govenar’s past theatrical works include Blind Lemon Blues and Lonesome Blues, establishing a deep career focus on roots and blues music history.
Production Scale and Creative Lineup
The upcoming 2027 run features an extensive design and management team. Jim Morgan handles scenic design, Christopher Vergara oversees costumes, Alan C. Edwards designs lighting, and Amy Jones takes charge of music supervision and arrangements. Sound design is by Jon Weston, wig and makeup design by Jared Janas, and projection design by Jason Johnson-Spinos.
Here is a breakdown of the key production roles and participating artists anchoring the 2027 revival:
| Role / Department | Assigned Artist |
|---|---|
| Playwright | Alan Govenar |
| Director | Akin Babatundé |
| Lead Cast (Osceola Mays) | Lillias White |
| Lead Cast (John Burrus) | Reeve Carney |
| Music Supervision & Arrangements | Amy Jones |
| Scenic Design | Jim Morgan |
Bridging Regional Roots and Off-Broadway Audiences
For theatergoers following the Off-Broadway landscape, the pairing of White—whose credits range from The Life and Fela! to Chicago—with Carney, known for Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark and The Great Gatsby, injects star power into a niche documentary-based musical. General management for the run is handled by LKD Productions/Lisa Dozier Shacket and Michael Shannon, with community outreach led by Marcia Pendleton.
As previews approach in January 2027, anticipation centers on how this intimate two-person musical will utilize the acoustics and staging of The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre. What are your thoughts on this casting reunion? Let us know in the comments below.
