Nicholas Christopher, John Clay III, Tiffany Mann, and Leslie Uggams Join JELLY'S LAST JAM at Encores!

NEW YORK CITY CENTER has revealed additional casting for Jelly’s Last Jam (Feb 21 – Mar 3, 2024), the second production of the 30th Encores! series. A centerpiece of City Center’s 80th Season at the Center of the Arts, the productions of Once Upon a Mattress, Jelly’s Last Jam, and Titanic will be presented in special two-week runs, celebrating 30 years of the Tony-honored series.

Nicholas Christopher (Jelly Roll Morton), John Clay III (Jack the Bear), Tiffany Mann (Miss Mamie), and Leslie Uggams (Gran Mimi) join Joaquina Kalukango (Anita), Billy Porter (Chimney Man), and 1992 original cast members Mamie Duncan-Gibbs, Stephanie Pope Lofgren, and Allison M. Williams (The Hunnies). Directed by Robert O’Hara with choreography by Edgar Godineaux and tap choreography by Dormeshia, Jelly’s Last Jam features Guest Music Director Jason Michael Webb leading The Encores! Orchestra. Written by George C. Wolfe and set to jazz legend Jelly Roll Morton’s iconic tunes with lyrics by Susan Birkenhead and musical adaptation and additional music composed by Luther Henderson, the musical tells a fable of American history, legacy, and truth.

Casting for Encores! Jelly’s Last Jam is by The Telsey Office. Additional casting to be announced. Casting and programming subject to change.

Expanding City Center’s mission to make the arts accessible to everyone, the 30th Encores! series also includes the first-ever Encores! student matinees for Once Upon a Mattress (Wed Jan 31) and Jelly’s Last Jam (Wed Feb 28); Community Nights on January 26, February 23, and June 14; and ASL Interpreted Performances on February 1 and 29, and June 20. For additional information visit NYCityCenter.org.

Tickets starting from $45 (fees included) can be purchased online at NYCityCenter.org, by calling 212.581.1212, or in person at the City Center Box Office. Access City Center Club is available to those 35 years of age and under and offers a limited number of $28 tickets (fees included) to City Center productions. For more information and to sign up, visit NYCityCenter.org/Access. New York City Center is located at 131 W 55th St between Sixth and Seventh avenues.

NEW YORK CITY CENTER

(Michael S. Rosenberg, President & CEO) has played a defining role in the cultural life of the city since 1943. The distinctive Neo-Moorish building was founded by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia as Manhattan’s first performing arts center with the mission of making the best in theater, dance, and music accessible to all audiences. This commitment continues today through celebrated dance and musical theater series like the Fall for Dance Festival and the Tony-honored Encores! series; the annual season by Principal Dance Company Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; and new dance series Artists at the Center. City Center welcomes audiences to experience internationally acclaimed artists including Kyle Abraham, Matthew Bourne, Ayodele Casel, Manhattan Theatre Club, Nederlands Dans Theater, and Twyla Tharp, on the same stage where legends made their mark. Dedicated to a culture built on the values of curiosity, collaboration, accessibility, and inclusivity, City Center’s dynamic programming, art exhibitions, and studio events are complemented by education and community engagement programs that bring the performing arts to thousands of New York City students, teachers, and families every year. NYCityCenter.org