Original British musical WEAPONS OF MASS SEDUCTION to have Off-Broadway run
A razor-sharp political satire explodes onto the stage in a fearless new musical inspired by a real Pentagon weapons programme from the early 2000s — the so-called “Gay Bomb,” a theoretical non-lethal ‘aerosol' designed to incapacitate enemy troops by inducing same-sex attraction. Weapons of Mass Seduction transforms paranoia, modern populism, and queer resilience into a blisteringly funny and unsettling piece of musical theatre.
Set in the near-future, the show follows a populist US administration, led by the ferociously bombastic President Karen Blare, whose quest for absolute dominance collides spectacularly with the unintended consequences of its own weapons programme. When a border standoff with Canada spirals out of control, a classified chemical weapon is unleashed — not with the results anyone expects.
What follows is a surreal, camp, and emotionally charged unraveling of military power, nationalism, masculinity and fear; as soldiers, civilians, and leaders alike are forced to confront desire, identity, and the limits of control.
Blending biting wit with bold theatricality, Weapons of Mass Seduction occupies the space between Dr. Strangelove, Cabaret, and modern queer protest art — using laughter, spectacle, and music to interrogate how governments manufacture enemies, weapons and what happens when love becomes the ultimate act of resistance.
Weapons of Mass Seduction is not a parody — sadly, it is a mirror. The show asks what happens when authoritarian certainty meets human unpredictability and whether systems built on fear can survive contact with joy, intimacy, and solidarity.
With a score that moves from militaristic ensemble numbers to soaring, defiant anthems, the musical embraces camp as a political weapon — reclaiming queerness not as punchline, but as power.
Weapons of Mass Seduction is currently in development, with a world premiere production in June 2026 at Culture Lab in New York City.
Creator/Composer/Lyricist/- Matt Bond
Director/Co-Producer - Nathalie Marrable
Musical Supervisor/Arranger/Additional Music - Mark Pim Book - Tom Capper
Designer - Reuben Speed
Co-Producer - Metatheto Theatrical
Co-Producer - Culture Lab
Co-Producer - The Cabaret Burlesque
Casting will be revealed in due course.
Matt’s other new musical, The Most Hated Family In America (based on Louis Theroux’s Documentaries on the Westboro Baptist Church) continues to be in development with two tracks from the show to be released in February 2026.
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