Mamoudou Athie, Khris Davis, Téa Guarino, and Susan Kelechi Watson cast in James Ijames' GOOD BONES at The Public
The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director and Patrick Willingham, Executive Director) announced casting today for the long-anticipated New York premiere of GOOD BONES written by Pulitzer Prize winner James Ijames and directed by Public Theater Associate Artistic Director/Resident Director Saheem Ali. After the duo’s collaboration on the wildly successful FAT HAM, Ijames and Ali return to The Public with GOOD BONES after its premiere last spring at Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C. Performances will begin in the Martinson Hall with a Joseph Papp Free Performance on Thursday, September 19 and run through Sunday, October 13. The production officially opens on Tuesday, October 1.
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames explores gentrification and the growing price of the American dream in his sharp, funny new play, GOOD BONES. A work opportunity to revitalize the blighted neighborhood she grew up in has led Aisha and her chef husband Travis to buy and renovate a charming old house. But as everyone knows, renovation is expensive and stressful—both for buildings and the communities that surround them. Aisha’s young contractor Earl grew up in the area too, but his memories are of more than just dangerous streets and hollowed-out homes. When their purely professional relationship gives way to heated debate about who gets to stay and who must go, Aisha is forced to reckon with the choices she’s made to get ahead and the painful, joyful, complicated ghosts that haunt her dreams… and her dream house. The Public’s Associate Artistic Director Saheem Ali directs this New York premiere play about community, change, and the soul of our cities.
“I am thrilled to be returning to The Public and working with Saheem again this fall on GOOD BONES,” shares playwright James Ijames. “The Public is really dear to me and I’m excited to bring this story about how to make and hold on to community to New York audiences.”
The cast of GOOD BONES includes Mamoudou Athie (Travis), Khris Davis (Earl), Téa Guarino (Carmen), and Susan Kelechi Watson (Aisha).
The production will include scenic design by Maruti Evans, costume design by Oana Botez, lighting design by Barbara Samuels, sound design by Fan Zhang, hair and wig design by Krystal Balleza, and prop management by Claire M. Kavanah. Jack Phillips Moore will serve as the production’s dramaturg. Norman Anthony Small will be the production stage manager and Giselle Andrea Raphaela will be the stage manager.
“I’m delighted to be working again with James Ijames after our journey together on FAT HAM, and excited to explore this story with the extraordinary Mamoudou Athie, Khris Davis, Téa Guarino, and Susan KelechiWatson,” shares director Saheem Ali. “GOOD BONES is a stunning new play. It adds a layer of complexity to the ongoing conversation about gentrification, community, and the places we call home.”