Arena Stage’s ‘CrazySexyCool’ brings TLC’s music and style back to life

By Morgan Carpenter
AFRO Intern
mcarpenter@afro.com

Black music, culture and dance are on full display at Arena Stage for “CrazySexyCool – The TLC Musical.”

From the opening beats of “What About Your Friends?” to the emotional power of “Dear Lie,” the cast says audiences can expect to experience an energetic celebration of TLC’s music, movement and legacy during the show.

The world premiere production, running through Aug. 9 at Arena Stage’s Kreeger Theater, follows the Grammy Award-winning trio TLC through their chart-topping rise on the music scene, their personal struggles and enduring sisterhood. 

Featuring hits including “Waterfalls,” “No Scrubs,” “Creep” and “Unpretty,” the musical combines powerhouse vocals with demanding choreography to tell the story of one of the best-selling female groups of all time.

The production team recreates the vibrant style that defined TLC throughout the 1990s. Bright, colorful costumes capture the group’s signature oversized jerseys, bold prints, baggy silhouettes and eye-catching accessories that became synonymous with the era. 

The wardrobe evolves alongside the trio’s career, reflecting the changing fashion trends of the decade while remaining faithful to the looks fans remember from music videos, award shows and live performances.

Just as impressive is the music itself is  the leading trio of Jade Milan as Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, Stoney B. Woods as Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas and Holli’ Gabrielle Conway as Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins. The trio recreates TLC’s signature harmonies and vocal arrangements, delivering performances that stay true to the original recordings while adding the energy of live theater. 

For many cast members, one musical number stands above the rest.

Ensemble member Nichole Forde told AFRO News the show’s MC Hammer dance sequence is both their favorite and the most physically demanding.

“It kills my legs, my arms and my soul,” she said with a laugh. “It’s a workout.”

She also highlighted “Waterfalls” as another standout moment.

“I think that is a huge one,” Forde said. “It’s the whole ensemble and the whole company together.”

Fellow ensemble member Kennedy Holmes pointed to “Good at Being Bad” as their favorite choreography because it showcases Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes’ creative spirit in the recording studio.

“That’s when Left Eye takes her moment in the recording studio,” she said. “She throws down the mic, and she’s got her little posse.”

While that number is their favorite to perform, Holmes said “Dear Lie” delivers one of the show’s most emotional moments.

“Just our vocal rhythm and our collaboration, watching Left Eye, her experience in that moment and her emotion—I get moved every time,” she explained.

For Madison McBride, another member of the production, the excitement begins as soon as the curtain rises.

“My favorite is the very beginning, ‘What About Your Friends?'” she said. “The energy is just so compatible.”

McBride also praised the opening of Act Two, which features another TLC classic.

“‘No Scrubs’ at the beginning of Act Two, we really hit it, and I just feel like there’s such a groove, and it’s my favorite,” she finished.

Whether delivering emotionally charged ballads or high-energy dance numbers, the cast says every performance reflects the spirit that made TLC cultural icons. Combined with period-accurate costumes, energetic choreography and faithful recreations of the trio’s unmistakable sound, “CrazySexyCool – The TLC Musical” offers audiences both a nostalgic concert experience and a theatrical look at the women behind the music.

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