Muhammad Ali musical to premiere in Louisville

The show has British director Clint Dyer attached as the director and book writer of the show, with composer and musician Teddy Abrams, who is musical director of the Louisville Orchestra, writing the music.

Clint Dyer is deputy artistic director of the National Theatre and director of recent West End musical Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, and a recent, acclaimed production of Othello at the National starring Giles Terera.

The project which was first announced last September, and casting will be announced soon. The show promises to explore the life of the man who overcame tremendous odds to become the G.O.A.T and who used his platform to become one of the most influential and inclusive civil rights leaders the world may ever know.

The creative team will also include Choreography/Fight Choreography by Rich + Tone Talauega (MJ The Musical), Set Design by Anna Fleischle (Hangmen), Costume Design by Emilio Sosa (Sweeney Todd), Lighting Design by Jen Schriever (A Strange Loop), Video/Projections/Media Design by Tal Yarden (Network) and Gino Ricardo Green (Get Up Stand Up), and Sound Effects Design by Ben Grant (Othello).

The Associate Director is Asmeret Ghebremichael (The Notebook, Dreamgirls), Creative Dramaturge is Fred Carl, Special Boxing Consultant and Fight Coordinator is Michael “Silk” Olajide, Jr., former Middleweight Champion who was trained by Angelo Dundee, Muhammad Ali’s World Champion trainer, and Casting Director is Jim Carnahan.

Lead producer Richard Willis said in a press statement: “We are proud to announce these extraordinarily gifted artists joining the ALI creative team. We look forward to the collaboration, as we build the most innovative and entertaining musical possible, in celebration of the great man’s life and legacy. We are also beyond delighted to announce the show’s world premiere will take place in the great city of Louisville, where it all began. It is going to be an incredibly special event for everyone involved, and we hope to bring joy and healing to all Louisvillians, in light of the senseless tragedies over the past week.”

Clint Dyer said: “I am excited and inspired to be aligned with this incredible group of artists, and we are thrilled that a casting search for the role of Muhammad Ali is underway.”

Teddy Abrams said: “I am absolutely thrilled that we will be premiering ALI in Louisville, the shared hometown of Muhammad and Lonnie Ali, the Louisville Orchestra, and myself! I am honored to be working alongside the exceptionally talented artists on our creative team and I can’t wait for us to share this production with the world. Muhammad cared deeply for Louisville his entire life, and I know that he would be very happy that we’ll be celebrating his story at the Kentucky Center in the fall of 2024!”

ALI is produced by Richard Willis, Brook T. Smith, David & Michelle Campbell, and TheTribecaWorkshop in collaboration with ABG Entertainment in partnership with Lonnie Ali.

More about Muhammad Ali

Deemed “The Greatest of All Time,” Ali was born in 1942 and raised during the early years of television and the American dream. His childhood in Louisville, Kentucky, along with the love and devotion from his mother (and later from his wife Lonnie), set the stage for him to become not only the greatest boxer of all time, as well as an activist, entertainer, artist, and philanthropist. Ali’s combination of courage, confidence, swagger, compassion, humour and optimism united people during The American Civil Rights Movement, and his vision for a world without hate inspired generations of activists who continue to inspire today’s generation.