The Public Theater's world premiere of Suzan-Lori Parks' Plays for the Plague Year begins its run at Joe's Pub November 4, with the run continuing through November 27. Niegel Smith directs and choreographs.
The performances are the culmination of a project that saw Parks, a Pulitzer-winning playwright and The Public's Writer-in-Residence, endeavoring to write one play a day throughout the COVID shutdown. The anthology of plays and songs chronicle the tumultuous and theatre-less year.
Parks herself is performing in the works, alongside a company including Leland Fowler, Greg Keller, Orville Mendoza, Kenita Miller, Lauren Molina, Martín Solá, and Pearl Sun. Rounding out the ensemble are understudies Edward Astor Chin, Danyel Fulton, and Will Stone.
The production features scenic and projection design by Peter Nigrini, costume design by Rodrigo Muñoz, lighting design by Ania Washington, and sound design by Dan Moses Schreier. Buzz Cohen is production stage manager.
Parks is a Pulitzer winner for her 2001 play Topdog/Underdog, now back on Broadway in a 20th anniversary revival directed by Kenny Leon. Her other works include Betting on the Dust Commander, Father Comes Home From the Wars, Parts 1, 2 & 3, Sally & Tom, and The Harder They Come.
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