Leading the cast is Broadway vet Keith David, who was featured in Hot Feet, Seven Guitars and Hedda Gabler as well as numerous Public Theater productions. The cast also features Phillip James Brannon, Dan Butler, Teddy Cañez, Hill Harper, John Earl Jelks, Jonathan Peck and Armando Riesco. Directed by Andersen’s County of Kings collaborator Elise Thoron, performances run through May 10, with an official opening night set for May 5.

Toast is a Public Theater commission, first presented at its Under the Radar Festival. The play weaves characters from black oral narratives into a story that takes place inside Attica prison during the 1971 uprising. Keith plays legendary inmate Dolomite, who becomes an unlikely figure to his cellmates: folklore heroes like Jesse James, Hobo Ben, Annabelle Jones, Stackolee and Hard Rock. Dolomite is faced with the challenge of choosing to riot for his rights or his promised freedom. The play honors the spoken word narratives recited in pool halls, bars and prisons by generations of black poets.

Single tickets are available and can be purchased by calling (212) 967-7555 or visiting publictheater.org.