Redemption or Rebrand? Kim Burrell Shares Stage with Queer Artists in ‘The Gospel at Colonus’
Years after her anti-gay sermon went viral, Kim Burrell stars in The Gospel at Colonusalongside queer artists and under a queer director's vision.
By EEW Magazine Online
Kim Burrell joins a production led by a queer director and featuring several gay Black artists. (Photo: Yuvraj Khanna/NY Times)
Nine years after igniting a firestorm over a sermon condemning homosexuality, gospel singer and pastor Kim Burrell is stepping into the spotlight again—this time, on a New York stage surrounded by openly queer castmates.
In The Gospel at Colonus, a revival of the 1983 musical adaptation of Sophocles’ tragedy now playing at Little Island through July 26, Burrell plays King Theseus, the character who offers sanctuary to the fallen Oedipus.
But beyond the biblical echoes in the role, Burrell’s presence in a production led by queer director Shayok Misha Chowdhury, and featuring several gay Black artists who grew up in the church, has stirred conversation across both faith and artistic communities.
Burrell became a polarizing figure in late 2017 after a video of her sermon surfaced, in which she condemned what she called “the perverted homosexual spirit.” The fallout was swift. Her appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show was canceled. Her radio show on KTSU in Houston was pulled. Pharrell Williams, who had promoted a single with her, distanced himself publicly, saying, “I condemn hate speech of any kind.”
“That perverted homosexual spirit is a spirit of delusion and confusion and has deceived many men and women, and it has caused a strain on the body of Christ.”
At the time, Burrell defended her remarks as biblically sound. But years later, at the 2024 Stellar Awards, she struck a different tone.
“I have, over the course of time and with much soul-searching, come to fully understand the reach and impact of my voice beyond gospel music,” she said in an apology widely regarded as a turning point. LGBTQ+ advocacy group GLAAD called it “a first step toward full accountability.”
Still, the apology did not resolve all tension, especially within the Black Church, where the relationship between gospel music, faith, and the LGBTQ+ community remains fraught. So when The Gospel at Colonus cast was announced, with Burrell in a lead role alongside artists like Davóne Tines, serpentwithfeet, and Jon-Michael Reese, many wondered how the collaboration would work.
Director Chowdhury, who is queer, addressed the issue directly. He and producing artistic director Zack Winokur said they had conversations with Burrell and every cast member to ensure a spirit of mutual respect. “I think that apology has been accepted in a lot of places,” Chowdhury said. “And you know, we’re believers in redemption.”
For her part, Burrell says she still stands by the biblical foundation of her earlier message, but she now regrets how her words were received. “What people heard me do was recite what is in the Bible,” she said. “But in retrospect, [my words] put too many people in jeopardy of not realizing my love for them.”
Some castmates are cautiously optimistic. Reese, who has portrayed strong gay characters on Broadway and remembers Burrell’s feature on Frank Ocean’s “Godspeed,” said he chose to “meet Kim Burrell as she was.” He found her warm and respectful. “She does not seem uncomfortable in this room at all,” he noted.
Burrell’s role in Colonus also marks her theatrical debut, a shift from her decades-long career in gospel music, where her unmatched vocal agility made her a favorite among peers and protégés alike. Now 52, she describes the production as both personally and spiritually resonant. “This production offers a hand, a hug, advice, perspective… things that make you think,” she said.
