Casting has been announced for Signature Theatre's Off-Broadway revival of Anna Deavere Smith’s Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992. As previously announced, previews begin October 12.
Instead of being presented as Smith's original solo piece, this revival will feature a quintet of performers composed of Elena Hurst, Wesley T. Jones, Francis Jue, Karl Kenzler, and Tiffany Rachelle Stewart.
Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992, follows the aftermath of the L.A. riots, sparked by the acquittal of Rodney King. At the time, Smith responded by interviewing over 350 people, eventually finding space to create a thru-line of monologues that explores the unrest.
“What the expanded ensemble offers us is the ability to unearth the complexity and nuance of the dynamics across the different communities that were involved and injured,” says director Taibi Magar. “Working with them to explore the text has been extraordinary, because I share with Anna an absolute and urgent curiosity with how people speak. I’ve always been rebellious about ‘proper language’ and instead revel in unpacking why a person speaks the way that they speak.”
The production will also feature scenic design by Riccardo Hernández, costume design by Linda Cho, lighting design by Alan C. Edwards, sound design by Darron L West, projection design by David Bengali, and casting by Caparelliotis Casting and X Casting. Michael Leon Thomas is the movement coach, Dawn-Elin Fraser is the dialect coach, Ann James is the sensitivity specialist, and Charles M. Turner III is the production stage manager.