Let Me Put U On to ‘CrazySexyCool — the TLC Musical’

In our weekly series, “Let Me Put U On,” the UATL team shares the stories, places and experiences that continue to resonate long after we first discovered them. Some things are simply too good to keep to ourselves.

I was in middle school when TLC burst on the scene with their baggy outfits adorned with condoms.

As I was maturing into high school and exploring relationships, intimacy and my own self-worth, songs like “Diggin’ on You” and “Waterfalls” were there to help guide me.

I knew all about their money problems, their man issues and, of course, the tragic death of Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes.

The Atlanta trio set the standard for girl groups, helped define the sound of the 1990s and remains one of the city’s most enduring musical success stories.

TLC back in its heyday is now heard regularly Old School 99.3/1010. (Publicity photo)

The stories of T-Boz, Left Eye and Chilli were no mystery to me. So, I went into opening night of “CrazySexyCool — the TLC Musical” at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., with no expectations.

I was still blown away.

We laughed. We cried. We sang. We danced in our seats.

And I’m not just talking about me and my friends. The two living group members, Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas, were in the audience, too.

Bill Diggins (center), manager of TLC, dreamed up "CrazySexyCool" the musical to tell the life of the trio, which includes Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas (left) and Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins (right). (Tia Mitchell/AJC)

And during the curtain call, they came onstage to congratulate the actors who portrayed them and to talk about how much it meant to see their lives portrayed this way.

It gave them a new appreciation for what they gave to the world.

“Hearing my own lyrics that I wrote touched my heart,” Watkins told the crowd. “Because I didn’t know it was that deep!”

The production is small, with a bare-bones cast.

The audience at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., took their seats ahead of the opening-night show for “CrazySexyCool - the TLC Musical" on June 26, 2026. (Tia Mitchell/AJC)

No stage sets. But the performers work hard the entire time, singing and dancing for their lives.

Each of the three leads is superb at bringing the group’s story to life, but the standout is Jade Milan, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Lopes and has amazing rap skills and vocals.

The storyline is mostly true.

Some names and details have been altered, but we see you, Usher … I mean “Rain.”

And I even enjoyed some of the new songs written to move the narrative along, although nothing beats the TLC hits sprinkled throughout the production.

Not a single banger was left out.

The costumes are amazing. And even when the storyline turns to familiar territory, the musical still finds fresh ways to tell it.

AJC Washington Bureau Chief Tia Mitchell attended opening night of “CrazySexyCool - the TLC Musical” at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., on June 26, 2026. (Courtesy)

The production is the brainchild of TLC manager Bill Diggins, who helped get the group on solid financial footing. His goal is to incubate the production at Arena Stage before hopefully finding a place on Broadway.