Luigi Mangione Musical To Open Five Minutes From Site of CEO Murder

UNITED STATES, March 6 — Luigi: The Musical is back, and this time, it's set to open five minutes from the site of Brian Thompson's killing. The viral musical about alleged killer Luigi Mangione is set to debut in New York in June at the Green Room 42. The venue, located in Midtown West, is a five-minute drive from the Hilton Hotel that Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot outside of in December 2024.

In an email shared with Newsweek , Nova Bradford, the play's creator, co-writer and lyricist said: "We chose The Green Room 42 because it’s a popular venue that supports emerging theater. " Why It Matters The fringe theater production about Mangione fast became one of the most talked-about productions of 2025, courting backlash from Republican politicians and commanding a sell-out run on the West Coast. The show, which sold out before it debuted , explores one of the most covered and contentious cases in recent history.

Mangione, who stands accused of Thompson's murder, has been at the center of frenzied discourse since his arrest in a Pennsylvania McDonald's in December 2024 following a nationwide search. Thompson was fatally shot as he walked to a Manhattan hotel hosting UnitedHealth Group's annual investor conference. The killing and Mangione's arrest have reignited a debate about health care in the United States.

While a martyr to some and a monster to others, Mangione has become cemented in popular culture. ... What To Know A new iteration of the musical is set to open in June in the form of a stage reading.

The musical takes its inspiration from Mangione and two other high-profile prisoners incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn: Sean "Diddy" Combs and Sam Bankman-Fried . Mangione is charged with 11 counts, including first-degree murder "in furtherance of an act of terrorism," two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of stalking and a firearms offense. Bankman-Fried, who founded the now defunct cryptocurrency exchange FTX, is serving a 25-year prison sentence for fraud and related crimes.

Combs was convicted in July on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. The rapper and record producer was found not guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking . The show's marketing describes it as a "satirical prison comedy inspired by the bizarre true story of three high-profile inmates housed together at the Metropolitan Detention Center.

" A press email about the musical shared with Newsweek said, "Part comedy, part social commentary, Luigi: The Musical reimagines larger-than-life public figures as exaggerated characters representing three disillusioned pillars of American life: health care, Hollywood, and tech. " Bradford, Caleb Zeringue, Arielle Johnson and Andre Margatini wrote the musical. Actors Jonny Stein and Matthew Solomon have previously starred as Mangione, but the cast for the June performance has yet to be announced.

Critics of the musical say it's too soon for such a production, and that the musical risks glorifying violence. In an interview with Newsweek last August, Zeringue said: "Just because we're making a comedy doesn't mean we don't take it seriously. We really try to interrogate the sides of all of what people feel toward Luigi.

" What People Are Saying Andre Margatini, the writer and actor, previously told Newsweek : "People are right to be wondering whether it's too soon for this kind of narrative, but we should also be asking that about how we consumed it and distributed it with social media in the immediate aftermath. It feels too soon, but we're living in an age of too soon. " A press email for Luigi: The Musical shared with Newsweek said: "Through sharp satire and irreverent humor, Luigi: the Musical uses comedy as a tool to expose just how normalized, and profitable, violence has become, challenging viewers to reckon with their own responses along the way.

" What Happens Next Luigi: The Musical is scheduled to make its New York debut on June 15 at 7 p. m. Update 03/04/12:52 a.

m. ET : This article has been updated to include comment from Nova Bradford.