As Cape Fear Regional Theatre winds down its 2025-2026 season, it is going out with a bang, presenting the high-energy, hilarious, and heartfelt musical Crowns. This gospel musical is full of familiar songs and new ones alike, with a small cast of characters telling a timeless story of community, heritage, and identity.
Crowns tells the story of Yolanda, a young woman who moves back to her family’s home in Darlington, South Carolina, from New York City. She moves in with her grandmother after experiencing a tragic loss. She soon finds herself rooted in the culture of the Black church, where she begins to find, through songs and stories, belonging and hope, even healing.
The show’s director, Allyson Tucker, sings the praises of the small, tight-knit cast. She says that there are “no words” for the vocal power and blending that the group is able to achieve. Among the 7 principal actors, and alongside a strong cohort of understudies, there is a combination of local Fayetteville talent and some who come from a bit farther away. There are some familiar faces to those in the audience who frequent the theatre, while others are making their CFRT debut. The play focuses primarily on the female characters, with one man playing all the men in the story. Randy A. Davis, who also serves as the show’s choreographer, plays The Man and represents husbands, brothers, and the preacher.
The crowns referenced in the title refer to the big, beautiful hats that are a staple of Black church culture. A significant aspect of Black church culture is the belief that you appear before God as best as you can, and for the ladies, that includes your hat. As explained by Tuckers, women’s hats are a source of pride without being boastful, and represent a leveling up, that a young woman has earned her place in the community and her right to wear her crown. For performances of Crowns at CFRT, audience members are welcome and encouraged to wear their crowns. Make sure your crown won’t block the view of the other queens (or kings) behind you.
This season finale show is for everyone. While the focus of the story is on Black history and culture, the core themes of the story are universal: the importance of community and belonging. Tucker says, “We all need to belong, whether it is in a biological family or a chosen one.” She invites everyone, regardless of background, to “come with an open heart and tissues; know that [you] belong; leave the real world outside and imagine a better world.”
While the story is emotional and has a serious message, it tells the story in a way that is “hilarious, sassy, and unapologetically female.”
Cape Fear Regional Theatre rates this show as PG. According to their website, “this musical contains themes of grief, racial and cultural identity, and emotionally charged gospel moments; suitable for teens and adults, with parental guidance under 11.”
Crowns will be performed at 1707 Owen Drive, as the theatre’s renovation project on Hay Street is still ongoing. Tickets are available through the theatre’s website at cfrt.org or by calling the box office at 910-323-4233. Audiences are reminded that CFRT tickets are only sold through their website; tickets sold through third-party sites could be invalid or overpriced. Don’t wait to get your tickets, as performances are already selling out.