Black Brilliance on Stage: A Strange Loop and Flex Light Up Toronto’s Theatre Scene
TORONTO — Two powerful Black-led productions are electrifying audiences at Crow’s Theatre this spring, bringing raw emotion, complex identity, and unflinching honesty to the Toronto stage. A Strange Loop and Flex are not just shows—they’re cultural touchpoints for the Afro-Canadian community and anyone craving bold, unapologetic storytelling.
Helmed by Artistic Director Chris Abraham, Crow’s Theatre has doubled down on presenting work that centres Black voices and stories that don’t hold back. In a heartfelt message to theatre-goers, Abraham declared these productions to be “unforgettable experiences,” urging audiences to see them while they still can.
Flex: Black Girlhood, Basketball, and a Shot at Greatness
Written by Candrice Jones, Flex is a fierce and riveting play that follows a high school girls’ basketball team in rural Arkansas. Set in 1997, the play dives deep into themes of ambition, friendship, loyalty, and survival, all through the lens of five young Black women chasing a dream that could change their lives.
What makes Flex exceptional is not just the script—it’s the phenomenal all-Black ensemble whose physicality and emotional depth bring the story to life. From the thud of sneakers on hardwood to the crackle of tension between teammates, the show delivers a visceral experience. Even for non-sports fans, the production’s immersive design and charged performances hold the room in rapt attention.
Flex was recently named a Globe and Mail Critic’s Pick, and audiences can now take advantage of 25% off tickets using promo code CRITICSPICK—a rare opportunity to witness something this vital, this urgent.
A Strange Loop: Pulitzer-Winning, Tony-Crowned, and Unfiltered
Already a sensation on Broadway, Michael R. Jackson’s A Strange Loop has landed in Toronto with all its daring energy intact. The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical follows a Black queer writer navigating the inner voices that shape, haunt, and fuel his art.
It’s a show that pulls no punches—vulgar, hilarious, gutting, and brilliant in equal measure. With songs that will have you laughing through tears and moments of truth that pierce like poetry, A Strange Loop confronts themes of Black identity, queerness, self-worth, and creativity in ways that few musicals ever dare.
Abraham called it “one of the most brilliant pieces of theatre writing in the last 25 years.” Critics agree—and so do audiences, who leave the theatre buzzing and eager to bring friends back for another round.
Don’t Miss This Moment in Black Theatre
As the spring theatre season blossoms in Toronto, A Strange Loop and Flex are must-see productions that uplift, challenge, and reflect the richness of Black life and imagination. Tickets are available now via Crow’s Theatre’s website.
Whether you’re drawn to the rhythm of the court or the inner battles of the mind, these stories will stay with you long after the curtain falls.
Uplifting Black voices from coast to coast – this is the Afro-Canadian heartbeat. Only in Vision.
