Public Theater's WILD WITH HAPPY Begins Previews Tonight, 10/9

The Public Theater will begin previews for the world premiere production of WILD WITH HAPPY, written by Colman Domingo, tonight, October 9 in The Public's LuEsther Theater. Directed by Robert O'Hara, WILD WITH HAPPY runs through Sunday, November 11, with an official press opening on Tuesday, October 23. Tickets are on sale now at (212) 967-7555, www.publictheater.org, or in person at The Public Theater box office.

The complete cast of WILD WITH HAPPY features Colman Domingo (Gil); Korey Jackson (Terry); Maurice McRae (Mo); and Sharon Washington (Adelaide, Aunt Glo).

The Public Theater will also present post-show discussions following select performances with the artists from WILD WITH HAPPY on Wednesday, October 17 and Thursday, October 25. The talkbacks following these performances are included with the price of admission.

From Colman Domingo (a Tony Award nominee for The Scottsboro Boys and an Obie Award winner for Passing Strange) comes a deeply imaginative and utterly outrageous new work that explores the bizarre comedy that lies within death and healing. Gil, an actor who's struggling to carve out his own new life, finds his worlds colliding when his mother dies and he decides to have her cremated. But where should he scatter the ashes? And can he make a fairytale ending for her in the one place that made her wild with happy?

WILD WITH HAPPY features scenic and costume design by Clint Ramos, lighting design by Japhy Weideman, original music and sound design by Lindsay Jones, and projection design by Aaron Rhyne.

ROBERT O'HARA (Director). For The Public, O'Hara has directed The Brother/Sister Plays (Part 2), and Insurrection: Holding History. His Off-Broadway and regional credits include In The Continuum, Eclipsed, Antebellum, A Raisin In the Sun, A Life in the Theater, Man in Love, BootyCandy. He is a recipient of Obie, Helen Hayes, NAACP, and Oppenheimer Awards.

Colman Domingo (Playwright, Gil) has appeared at The Public in Passing Strange and Henry V. Domingo's Broadway credits include Passing Strange, The Scottsboro Boys, Well, and Chicago. His additional Off-Broadway credits include Blood Knot, The Scottsboro Boys, A Boy and His Soul, and Bright Ideas. His select film and television credits include Spike Lee's Red Hook Summer, "The Big Gay Sketch Show," "Law & Order," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," and "Nash Bridges."

Korey Jackson (Terry) has been seen regionally in Duck Crossing, Five Guys Named Moe, and Dreamgirls. A recent graduate of New York University's Graduate Acting Program at Tisch School for Performing Arts, Jackson's select NYU credits include The Henry Box Brown Play, Sueno, Acquainted with the Night, The Emperor Antony, The Rivals, and Richard III. Jackson has been seen on television in "Law & Order: SVU."

Maurice McCrae (Mo) has appeared in New York in All God's Chillum' Got Wings, American Ma(u)l, and Young Black Men… His regional credits include A House With No Walls, The Piano Lesson, The Ninth Wave, Fences, Cheaters, Soldier's Play, and Jonin.' His television credits include "24," "Guiding Light," "JAG," NYPD Blue," and "Maloney."

Sharon Washington (Adelaide, Aunt Glo) has appeared in The Public Theater Productions of Coriolanus, Cymbeline, Richard III, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, and Before It Hits Home. She has appeared on Broadway in The Scottsboro Boys and Off-Broadway in The Overwhelming, String of Pearls, House, Garden, Seeking the Genesis, The Radical Mystique, and Joined at the Head. Her select film and television credits include Rocksteady, An Invisible Sign, Michael Clayton, Die Hard: With a Vengeance, "Royal Pains," and "Damages."

The revitalization of The Public Theater's downtown home this October will physically manifest The company's core mission of sparking new dialogues and increasing accessibility for artists and audiences by dramatically opening up its landmark building to the street and community, and transforming the lobby into a public piazza for artists, students, and audiences. Designed by Ennead Architects, the project encompasses enhancements to the building's interior and exterior while preserving the historic structure. Key elements of the design include infrastructure updates to the 158-year old building, as well as construction of a new exterior entry stair and glass canopy; installation of ramps for improved accessibility; an expanded and refurbished lobby; the addition of a mezzanine level with a new lounge, designed by the Rockwell Group; expansion and remodeling of restroom facilities; and comprehensive exterior restoration, ensuring stability of the landmark façade.

The only theater in New York that produces Shakespeare and the classics, musicals, contemporary and experimental pieces in equal measure, The Public continues the work of its visionary founder, Joe Papp, by acting as an advocate for the theater as an essential cultural force, and leading and framing dialogue on some of the most important issues of our day. Creating theater for one of the largest and most diverse audience bases in New York City for nearly 60 years, today The company engages audiences in a variety of venues-including Joe's Pub; the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, home to the beloved, free Shakespeare in the Park; and the Mobile Unit, which tours Shakespearean productions for underserved audiences throughout New York City's five boroughs. The Public's wide range of programming includes free Shakespeare in the Park, the bedrock of The company's dedication to making theater accessible to all, new and experimental stagings at The Public at Astor Place, and a range of artist and audience development initiatives including its Public Forum series, which brings together theater artists and professionals from a variety of disciplines for discussions that shed light on social issues explored in Public productions. The Public Theater receives annual support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. www.publictheater.org