As Jason’s Lyric celebrates its 31st anniversary this year, visionary playwright and producer JeCaryous Johnson has breathed new life into the beloved 1994 film, transforming it into a captivating stage production. Johnson, a Houston native, was the perfect person to helm this adaptation, as the original film was shot in Houston’s very own Fifth Ward. His deep-rooted connection to the city adds an authentic touch to the storytelling, making Jason’s Lyric Live! a homecoming of sorts for the film’s legacy.
The play made its grand debut in Houston over Valentine’s Day weekend, setting the stage for an emotionally charged theatrical experience. Now, the production is preparing for a nationwide tour, bringing its poignant story of love, trauma, and redemption to audiences across the country.
The original film, directed by Doug McHenry, and written by Bobby Smith Jr., became a cult-classic romance of the ‘90s, bringing together the complexities of Black love, family struggles, and personal healing. Johnson’s stage adaptation pays homage to this classic while imbuing fresh energy into the narrative through dynamic monologues, song, immersive stage design, and a reimagined script that stays true to the film’s, while adding a contemporary touch.
The Houston premiere saw an outpouring of support from audiences eager to relive the story in a new format. With passionate portrayals of Jason and Lyric’s love story, the play captures the raw intensity of their romance, as well as the turbulent relationships that shape Jason’s world. Johnson, known for his theatrical adaptations of Set It Off and Two Can Play That Game, once again shows his ability to translate iconic Black films into powerful stage productions.
The original film was anchored by Allen Payne’s portrayal of Jason alongside Jada Pinkett Smith as Lyric. In bringing this beloved story to the stage, it was only fitting that Payne reprised his role as Jason, offering a sense of continuity and nostalgia for longtime fans. This time, however, the role of Lyric is played by actress and model Eva Marcille. No stranger to acting, Marcille has starred in Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and currently leads Christian Keyes’ All The Queen’s Men. While thrilled to take on the role, she acknowledges the challenges between performing in theater versus television and film, embracing the nuance that comes with live storytelling.
“Oh there’s nothing like theater,” Marcille tells ESSENCE over Zoom. “Theater is live. Denzel [Washington] said it best—as a true thespian you need to play in all mediums, TV, film and theater, and there is an adrenaline and an anxiety that all actors, I believe, get at some point, be it television or film. But when it comes to theater, you have to truly live in the moment, because there’s no one to help you out. There’s no one to read your lines for you. There’s no one to move for you. There’s no camera manipulations, there’s no lights. It’s literally you. There is a level of trust that you must have, but you really, really get to fall in love with the story. I find something new and something different every single time I perform it. And so it is just a high that is just, it’s so delicious.”
For Marcille, stepping into Lyric’s shoes was an opportunity to embody a character that deeply resonated with her personal experiences and those of many women today. The depth and authenticity of Lyric’s love, along with her unwavering desire for a partner who understands her without instruction, made the decision to join the production an easy one. The themes of love, emotional connection, and vulnerability in Jason’s Lyric Live! align with conversations happening in real-time about modern relationships, making Marcille’s portrayal both relevant and heartfelt.
“I think every woman at some point wants a man just to show up and not to have to tell him how to show up, or give him the rule book on what to do to impress me, or just do the best that you can do whatever that looks like,” Marcille elaborates. “I think a lot of women are at that place in life right now. Times have changed. The economy has changed. We’re educated, we have opportunities, but the idea of a man pulling up to just wow us, and whatever that means. What it does not mean is money and vacations and elaborate things, but in thoughts and in depth. And those are the things that women are still seeking out when we are looking for a good man. And so that is definitely one of the things that connected.”
Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, she also saw parallels between her own upbringing and the world depicted in Jason’s Lyric. Set in Houston’s Fifth Ward, it reflected the struggles and aspirations of many inner-city communities, reminding her of what she experienced as a young girl.
“When I first saw the film as a nine, 10-year-old girl, what stood out to me most was that environment—it felt like any ‘hood, USA,’” Marcille explained. “People in our communities have decisions and options, but not many. Yet, there are always a few of us who live in the clouds. I was that girl.”
She recalled always feeling different from the girls she grew up with—not better, not smarter, but different. “I knew there was more to life than what was tangible for me right then. And that’s what Jada [Pinkett Smith] captured in Lyric. She gave permission to young women like me, the ones who felt like the odd flower in the garden but still belonged,” she said. “That’s why I call myself a sunflower—I always knew I was different.”
Outside of Payne and Marcille, Johnson meticulously curated a cast of talented Black stars that audiences could easily connect with, ensuring the production remained true to its cultural roots. The ensemble includes singer-songwriter K. Michelle alongside Anthony ‘Treach’ Criss (Juice, Jason’s Lyric) reprising his role as Alonzo from the original film. They are joined by Tyrin Turner (Menace II Society, Belly), Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (Cooley High, The Jacksons: The American Dream), and Victoria Rowell (The Young and the Restless). As a viewer, their aggregate talent and camaraderie brought an authenticity to the stage, which further enriched this modern adaptation.
“You have a collective of artists that just love to do what we do for a living, and so to get on stage with each other and to rehearse and find the things that bring us together, because there’s so many things that bind us and unite us and make us common, more in common than disconnect us,” Marcille explains.
The stage production was truly a family affair, and the cast chemistry was palpable. “Tyrin Turner, he is big bro for life. He is so authentic in his work, his preparation, and he gives you every single thing he has. Treach plays opposite Marti and a lot of their scenes, and just to see the way they, I mean, they come skipping out. There’s such a bond there. I’ve known Allen since House of Payne, so we go back like four flats on a Cadillac, but for him to welcome us into his project, because it’s Jason’s Lyric, you know what I mean,” Marcille says. “Mr. Lawrence. I mean, come on, Joe Jackson, you can’t get anything stronger than that. But my favorite, I have to say, is my friendship that I have developed and crafted and will have forever, is with K. Souls like hers do not come about, especially in this business, you do not find people like her.”
K. Michelle plays Lyric’s best friend Marti in the play, and while she isn’t new to the stage, she is still fairly new to acting. She doesn’t have many lines, however, her performance is delivered via musical moments and powerful melodies. She says that acting in this play took her back to her performing arts school, Overton High in Memphis, Tennessee.
“Once you tour for so long, I’ve been on the road now about, what about eight years, and you get into a routine, and you get into this routine of, okay, your band’s playing this, and you know what to anticipate, and you can set the tone,” Michelle says. “But the difference in this is the fact that it’s just you and those vocals, and there’s no ears [in-ear monitors]. When you have ears in, you’re kind of cut off from the audience and everything around you—in this you hear everyone. You get the reaction you get, the feels, you get everything.”
Michelle reflected on performing in live theater, noting that it pushes artists to rely solely on their talent and adaptability. She acknowledged that some nights are better than others, but regardless of the outcome, she had to pick herself up and move on to the next scene. For her, the experience was both demanding and rewarding—an opportunity to reconnect with the essence of her artistry and remind herself why she started in the first place.
In her major stage play debut, she connected deeply with her character, especially in moments that reflected the reality of being in a relationship where self-love must take precedence over loving someone else. “I think we all have been with a man that was undeserving of us, and that touches a lot of women. The women could be married now, they could be deeply in love, and there have been times when we were with a man that we know we shouldn’t have been with,” Michelle explains. “I think the bond of Marti and Lyric is a sister girl friendship, and hopefully we all have them. [Marti] is that girl who can’t even dare to dream because she’s so in love with this one man. I’ve definitely been there.”
Building on that energy, Michelle delivers a powerful performance of her hit song “Can’t Raise a Man,” infusing the stage adaptation with a present-day, relatable touch. Michelle shared that performing her RIAA Gold-certified hit was an amazing experience, highlighting that her songwriting always focuses on life, not just music. She explained, “As long as I’m writing something that people can relate to, just like Jason’s Lyric has stood the test of time, so will the music that I write.” She added that this moment served as a testament to her belief, as her music could fit in with both older and more recent works, with the hope that, in the future, her records will continue to be played.
She also brings a soul-stirring depth to the production with a heartfelt, Southern Baptist rendition of LaShun Pace’s “I Know I’ve Been Changed.”
“I grew up in the church. It was how I started my first solo. And everything that I’ve ever done has always been in the church,” Michelle says. “And for me, it was a time to come home, and to sing that. And everyone knows that that’s just one of those songs that in our culture and community, you must know, so I was very happy to be able to bring that song to life on stage.”
Both ladies expressed that the production was a labor of love. “Getting the script again, the revisions, seeing everything on page is always one thing, but to get it on its feet and start to see it come to life is like birthing a child. And I gave birth to three of them, so I know what it’s like, and so when the script is on page, it’s like the baby being in utero,” Marcille explains. “And then you finally go into labor, and that’s when you start, like, doing tech rehearsal, and you start to really see the set come to life. And then your first performance is, like, the baby’s here.”
Similarly, Michelle says, “You know, and with Eva, I know she doesn’t play about me. To see her, to see her take it to another level every night, it pushes me as well, and to see her on the side of the stage, cheering on her castmates. She’s standing there rooting us on. She’s the voice of a lot of the cast. Victoria Rowell is absolutely amazing as well, she’s like a mother, and to see her just take all of us in. It’s a really great cast,” Michelle adds.
Following its Houston debut, Jason’s Lyric Live is set to embark on a nationwide tour, bringing its heartfelt storytelling to theaters across the country. As audiences prepare to experience the play, the production serves as both a tribute to the film’s legacy and a celebration of the power of Black love on stage.
With Johnson at the helm, Jason’s Lyric Live is an evocative journey through love, pain, and hope, proving that some stories are timeless, no matter the medium in which they are told.
For more information and tickets for ‘Jason’s Lyric Live!’ visit the website.