Queer Musical 'The Hang' by Taylor Mac and Matt Ray to Be Published

The theatrical fantasia explores ancient Athens on the eve of Socrates' death through jazz music and operatic form.

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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Theatre Communications Group (TCG) announced the forthcoming publication of the queer musical-theatrical work 'The Hang' by playwright Taylor Mac and composer Matt Ray. Drawing on jazz music and operatic form, the play conveys ancient Athens on the eve of the death of philosopher Socrates as he engages in philosophical debate while singing, dancing, and 'hanging out' with others.

Why it matters

The Hang is being hailed as a radical declaration of queer frivolity that restores faith in the power of dangerous ideas and weird people in the New York theater scene. The work has already received critical acclaim, including two Obie Awards and four 2022 Drama Desk Award nominations.

The details

The Hang premiered in 2022 at the Here Arts Center in New York City. The play explores the final hours of Socrates' life as he is sentenced to die for corrupting the youth, but spends his remaining time engaging in philosophical debate, singing songs, and dancing. Playwright Taylor Mac and composer Matt Ray convey this through a musical-theatrical riff on philosophical history, with Plato writing it all down not always accurately, implying that the 'unwritable moments of joyous communion' are what's most essential in life and theater.

  • The Hang will be published on February 10, 2026.
  • The play premiered in 2022 at the Here Arts Center in New York City.

The players

Taylor Mac

A MacArthur Fellow, Pulitzer Prize Finalist, Tony nominee for Best Play, and recipient of the International Ibsen Award, known for the concert-doc 'Taylor Mac's 24-Decade History of Popular Music' currently streaming on HBO Max.

Matt Ray

A New York-based pianist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and music director who won the 2017 Kennedy Prize for Drama Inspired by American History for his work on Taylor Mac's 'A 24-Decade History of Popular Music'.

Alisha Tonsic

The Co-Executive Director of National Operations and Business Development at Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the organization that announced the forthcoming publication of 'The Hang'.

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The takeaway

The Hang represents a powerful and necessary celebration of theater, queerness, and community, reminding audiences that gathering, thinking, singing, and laughing together can be a radical and transformative act in the face of a 'severe age'. The play's publication signals a continued embrace of bold, unconventional, and socially-conscious works in the New York theater landscape.