44: The Musical Comes to the Klein Theatre

Shakespeare Theatre Company brings the acclaimed political comedy 44: The Musical to the Klein Theatre for a limited engagement running April 18 through May 10, 2026. The show is an uproarious, unsanctioned musical revue that chronicles Barack Obama's rise to the presidency and his years in the White House — as best as Joe Biden can remember them, anyway.

44: The Musical presented by Shakespeare Theatre Company at Klein Theatre

The premise is as clever as it is hilarious: a slightly foggy Biden narrates his recollections of his friend and former boss, guiding the audience through Obama's historic 2008 campaign and the milestones of his first term in office. From the contentious Democratic primary battle against Hillary Clinton to the baffling national phenomenon that was Sarah Palin, from the passage of the Affordable Care Act to the triumphant elimination of Osama bin Laden, the show covers the major beats of the Obama era with wit, warmth, and an irresistible R&B-infused score.

The musical features more than two dozen original songs spanning smooth R&B grooves, rousing power ballads, and comedy numbers that land with precision. Highlights include "Just Ask Joe," "My Turn," "First Lady," "The One," and the infectious, profanity-laced earworm "M.F.O." — a song audiences have reportedly been unable to get out of their heads long after leaving the theater. The show's political villains get their fair share of the spotlight as well, including a scene-stealing Mitch McConnell, a pole-dancing Sarah Palin, and Ted Cruz delivering a rap rendition of Green Eggs and Ham on the Senate floor.

At its core, 44: The Musical is a celebration — a joyful, cathartic reminder of what the Obama years felt like for much of the country. But it also earns its emotional depth, including a genuinely moving sequence late in the show reenacting Obama's spontaneous rendition of "Amazing Grace" in the wake of the Charleston church shooting. The tonal swings, from laugh-out-loud absurdity to quiet grief and back again, mirror the whiplash of the era itself and give the show a resonance beyond pure comedy.

Critics who caught the show during its Chicago run called it one of the best new musicals in years, drawing comparisons to campy comedies like Oh Mary! and praising it as the kind of political satire audiences are hungry for right now. The show originally debuted in Chicago in 2024 around the time of the Democratic National Convention before heading to Los Angeles, where it became a must-see event and swept the BroadwayWorld LA Awards for musicals.

44: The Musical runs approximately two and a half hours with an intermission and is intended for adult audiences. Tickets and more information are available through Shakespeare Theatre Company.