Mister Fitzgerald to Star in Apollo Salon Series Reading of Afrika Brown's THE FIGHT

An invitation-only reading of Afrika Brown's new play, The Fight, will be presented as a part of The Apollo Salon Series in Manhattan on Friday, March 17th. The Apollo Salon Series, a part of The Apollo New Works initiative, provides development support for contemporary new work across artistic disciplines. The series expands on The Apollo's tradition of nurturing artists and projects by providing a one-week residency.

Broadway alum Mister Fitzgerald (Ohio State Murders) will lead the cast alongside Jason Alan Carvell (War Horse), Melvin Abston (Death of a Salesman), Adiagha Faizah (Lambs to Slaughter), Tait Ruppert (Candida), Diana Maria Benigno (Red Noses), Nicholas Robert Ortiz (Robin Hood), Natalie Jacobs (Mirrors), Casey Killoran, Matthew Martinez, Malcolm Minor, and Lamar Richardson (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom). Playwright Brown also directs.

Through the lens of three distinct families, The Fight weaves a tapestry showcasing a microcosm of America in 1971 that is equally as relevant in this millennium. The threads woven together in this piece are the fibers of race, class, grief, and gender roles. Each strand is layered on the other, creating tension that is pulled and twisted by the characters as they engage an explosive exploration of these issues.

The synopsis reads, "On March 8, 1971, the Archibald, Schwartz, and Concepcion families gather in the Vailsburg section of Newark, N.J to hear the historic Ali vs. Frazier I match. As they come together in the Archibald's basement for "The Fight of the Century," what should be a simple fight party becomes a sparring match of epic proportions."

Brown's other plays include A Thing of Beauty, Strange Fruit Redux, The Outing, and Slow Bullet, My Three Loves.

Lamar Richardson produces with the development support of The Front Row Productions Fellowship in association with Columbia University School of the Arts. To RSVP, please email lar2196@columbia.edu.