Jason’s Lyric, the groundbreaking 1994 romantic drama that captivated audiences with its raw portrayal of love amid urban struggle, is being reimagined as an immersive theatrical experience to mark its 30th anniversary. The adaptation promises to bring new depth to the story that touched countless hearts, transforming the powerful narrative into an intimate stage production that will allow audiences to feel the pulse of Houston’s Third Ward up close.
In this bold reimagining, Eva Marcille steps into the iconic role of Lyric, initially portrayed by Jada Pinkett Smith, opposite actor Allen Payne, reprising his memorable role as Jason. The production aims to honor the film’s legacy while bringing a fresh perspective to its timeless themes of love, redemption, and the weight of family trauma, inviting a new generation to experience the story’s emotional resonance in an entirely new medium.
Marcille spoke with rolling out while on tour.
What initially drew you to take on the role of Lyric in this stage adaptation, and how do you plan to make the character your while honoring Jada Pinkett Smith’s original portrayal?
So what made me take on the role is because 31 years ago, the story is still relevant. The theme of the story and what I think the takeaway is is to continue to dream, to dream big, and this despite all of the distractions and things that might come your way, and the hurdles you have to jump over to get to your dream or whatever that end goal is for you that you see for yourself. Never stop striving for that. The movie was made 31 years ago and is still a very relevant and necessary message.
Jada, Allen Payne, and Treach did a beautiful job of bringing so much light to being in the Fifth Ward in the ’90s but also wanting to dare and have the audacity to dream and being bold enough to do so. Now is the time to remind people that we can dream and go bigger and beyond our circumstances and what we see, not to settle just for what is but to aspire for what can be. The story in itself is what drew me. There’s only one Jada. There’s only one Jada Pinkett-Smith. She’s married to Mr. Will Smith. There’s only one Eva, but relatability lives in all of us, no matter your name. And so, as an artist, I pay homage to Jada in how she initially laid the role, being very authentic to the fact that it is set in Houston. It’s in the Fifth Ward of Houston; being from South Central Los Angeles, I understand that that is very specific to the people and getting that correct.
But also, the woman’s empowerment and what that looked like 30 years ago, and women’s liberation and what it takes for a man to woo you and what that looks like, and knowing that you’re enough. That validation, not needing it from a man, but still longing to have one by your side and that beautiful love story. It’s so relevant in today’s society: women are out here, we’re hustling, we’re getting it for ourselves, and so when it comes to the financial part, that’s not necessarily what we’re looking for. I love the story because you come from an impoverished background where people don’t have anything but love; it’s all we have. I have the best version of me, which is myself. Not jewelry, it’s not a trip, it’s not fancy things or hotels. It’s just love. And that is something that everybody, every language, every culture, every age can identify with.
How has working with Allen Payne, reprising his film role as Jason, helped shape your understanding of the love story at the heart of this production?
The fact that he reprised his role and Treach is such a blessing for us as actors. He makes sure that we give it enough flair for it to be our own thing, but we stay on track, not losing the essence of what it was and why it is a classic. Having him there really helps to drive this forward because we’re retelling the love story he initially told. But with other implementations, like you have the soundtrack, now you have a live band with the music. Now you have musicians, singers, and the chorus, who are also actors who are part of the ensemble and moving sets, and so there’s so much more added to it. Still, nothing is taken away from its origin, and Allen helps to keep us on track in that space.
The original film powerfully depicted the complexities of love amid urban violence and family trauma. How does the stage adaptation reimagine these themes for today’s audiences?
It’s the same thing, but on stage and live. So instead of TV, where you can cut it at a certain point, edit it a certain way, or lay the music on top, we’re doing it all live, so the music comes in the middle of the emotion. We have to edit ourselves. There is no editor. We are the editor. Thank God for our fantastic director, J. Kyle Manzay, and Je’Caryous Johnson’s vision. It’s very different when it’s live because we must support each other. It’s not, I go lay my performance, and then another actor comes and lays theirs afterward, or, you know, if you’re getting cross coverage on a TV show or film, you might not give your all. In theater, you don’t have that luxury, and it’s all or nothing, and we are family and rooting for each other. I mean, Treach plays my brother. I play his little sister instead, and I mean when he’s performing, I’m in the back cheering and dancing when K. Michelle blows the house down every night; I’m in the back, just mesmerized. It’s such a supportive cast, and theater creates a family with an ensemble on another level.
Your character, Lyric, symbolizes hope and healing for Jason. How have you prepared to convey her vulnerability and strength in a live theater setting?
Lyric is such an everyday girl, but I don’t think she likes the everyday girl who can’t show vulnerability as much as she wants. So when you see her at work, shopping, or outside in the regular world, she has that mask on. She has that mask that we all put on every single day, and for some reason, Jason has convinced her that he’s worthy of her unveiling that mask and showing her true self. And we all desire that in some facet of life. I know entertainers do for sure because it’s like you never see the real us. It’s always who you think we are. Whatever you do for a living, you’re labeled as the accountant or the lawyer, but like the lawyer is someone’s son, he’s a person, friend, mogul, or lady who works at the store.
She’s more than just a lady who works at the store. Like that’s someone’s mother, someone’s neighbor, that’s someone’s friend. This project dives into the beauty of who people are and the layers that people have, and not just that’s the bad guy, or that’s the villain, and that’s the good part, the hero. And there, there’s none of that. Well, there’s a lot of that, but there’s more than that. We’re not a monolith. And so she can be vulnerable while being strong. She can be broken while being in the middle of her healing journey. So there are many things that you can be in its duality, and the play embodies that.
What unique challenges and opportunities does translating this intimate love story from screen to stage present, particularly in portraying the chemistry between Lyric and Jason?
I mean, he’s attractive, and Lyric is doing her thing. It is palpable from the moment you lock your eyes. It’s one of those girl meets boy, and from the moment I saw you, kind of feelings, and it’s that feel-good feeling. I can’t emphasize that it’s not just reliving the movie; it is a play, and so the musical and the other artistic elements do a lot to take you into that fantasy and into that love story.
What aspects of Lyric’s character journey resonate most strongly with you, and how do you think her story will connect with contemporary theater audiences?
What resonates with me and will resonate with the audience is that we all feel like we’re in this world where everyone is different and is like one thing, but we’re so different. And so I knew growing up as a young girl that, like I grew up in my neighborhood in South Central LA, and I’m that girl, but I knew there was something different about me. This project is a reminder, especially the way it is played live and presented live, as a reminder that you are not only different, but it’s beautiful to be different. It’s lovely to dream, beautiful to want more. And it’s something that not only should you do, but I charge you to do.
Given the film’s status as a beloved classic, what do you hope audiences will take away from this new theatrical interpretation of “Jason’s Lyric”?
I hope that they take a feeling of hope, reminding themselves that no matter what age they are, no matter what they’ve done in life, good, bad, and indifferent, especially those that that are going through the lower points of life, it’s reminding you that God is by your side and it’s not over. Any day above the ground is a new day to start over. And so if you are 75 and today is the day you decide to start, then today is a good day. Every day is a day for a good day, and we are trying to live in the optimistic spaces of life versus the pessimistic because life is a choice. We’re trying to remind the audience to choose to live life and not let life live us.
