TROUBLE IN MIND Begins Previews on Broadway Tonight; Meet the Cast!

Trouble In Mind officially begins previews on Broadway tonight, October 29, with an official opening set for Thursday, November 18, 2021. This is a limited engagement through Sunday, January 9, 2022 at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway (227 West 42nd Street).

Follow an experienced Black stage actress through rehearsals of a major Broadway production in Alice Childress's wry and moving look at racism, identity, and ego in the world of New York theatre. At the forefront of both the Civil Rights and feminist movements, the prescient Trouble in Mind opened to acclaim off-Broadway in 1955, and was announced to move to Broadway in 1957...in a production that never came to be.

Meet the cast below!

LaChanze

(Wiletta Mayer)

is an award-winning actress who brings an exhilarating and electrifying presence to any stage she touches. Blessed with a powerful mezzo-soprano singing voice and a commanding presence, she consistently receives high praises from fans, peers and the industry at-large. Armed with the gift for dramatic storytelling, a sultry vocal dexterity, and bringing complex female heroines to life, audiences sit up and take notice of LaChanze-whether in a hit Broadway production, television show, film or on concert stages. Her most recent TV credits include a recurring as Anne in NBC's "The Blacklist" opposite James Spader and in Amazon Prime's "The Underground Railroad," which was released earlier this year. She recurred in the CBS All Access hit show "The Good Fight" and appeared in the award-winning HBO special "The Night Of," "Person Of Interest," "Law & Order: SVU," "One Life To Live," "Lucy," "Sex And The City," "The Cosby Show," "The Cosby Mysteries" and "New York Undercover." On the film side, she stars in writer/director Marishka Phillips' suspense-filled film Melinda. She appeared in the award-winning movie The Help sharing the screen with legendary actress Cicely Tyson (SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture). Other films include former President Obama film picks for 2019 Diane, A Bitter Pill, Side Effects, For Love Or Money, Leap Of Faith, My New Gun, and the Disney animated feature film Hercules. LaChanze stepped onto stage 28 Broadway seasons ago, giving the original production of Once On This Island its beating and unforgettable heart, creating the role of lovelorn peasant girl Ti Moune. She won her first Tony Award for giving a voice to Celie, the unlikely heroine of Alice Walker's The Color Purple, the musical's original staging. Shortly after, she captured an Emmy Award for her riveting performance in the award-winning PBS special Handel's Messiah Rocks: A Joyful Noise. She starred in playwright Jack Thorne's A Christmas Carol as the Ghost of Christmas Present/Mrs. Fezziwig. Prior, she originated Augusta's role in two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage's A Secret Life of Bees, for which she landed an AUDELCO Award for Leading Actress in a Musical. She gave a spellbinding performance in the high voltage Broadway's Summer The Donna Summer Musical. In creating Donna Summers' nostalgia, she landed nominations for the 2018 Tony Award nomination for Leading Actress in a Musical, 2018 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a Musical and 2018 Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance Award. Other Broadway credits include If/Then, Ragtime, Company, and Uptown It's Hot. Some of her Off-Broadway credits include The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin (Drama Desk nomination), Dessa Rose (Obie Award), Inked Baby, Spunk and From The Mississippi Delta. LaChanze brings her original, one-of-a-kind, one-woman show, Feeling Good, to popular venues touching the hearts of audiences worldwide. This electric and highly praised tour mixes the perfect blend of emotional intensity with sultry vocals. Fans willing to take the ride and feel every pain, joy, and excitement LaChanze feels all through her life's autobiographical journey with music and words.

Michael Zegen

(Al Manners)

can currently be seen starring on the critically acclaimed Amazon series "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" created by Amy Sherman-Palladino. The series won a 2020 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, a 2019 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, a 2018 Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, the Golden Globe Award for Outstanding Television Series, Musical or Comedy and the Critics' Choice Award for Best Comedy Series. On stage, Michael made his Broadway debut as 'Marco' in Ivo van Hove's Tony-award winning A View From The Bridge opposite Mark Strong. Michael's previous theater credits include originating both the role of 'Ted' in The New Group's production of The Spoils, written by and co-starring Jesse Eisenberg for director Scott Elliott and the role of 'Liam' in Joshua Harmon's smash hit play Bad Jews directed by Daniel Aukin for Roundabout Theater Company. Previous television includes his standout recurring role as 'Benny Siegel' on HBO's "Boardwalk Empire," for which he was included in the 2015 SAG Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Other recurring television arcs include: "The Walking Dead," "Girls," "How To Make It In America," "Happyish" and all seven seasons of "Rescue Me." Michael's other film credits includes, The Stand-In opposite Drew Barrymore, Michael Mayer's film adaptation of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, opposite Annette Bening and Elisabeth Moss, Noah Baumbach's Frances Ha opposite Greta Gerwig, John Crowley's Oscar-Nominated film Brooklyn, Sebastian Silva's ensemble indie TYREL which premiered at Sundance, Greg Mottola's Adventureland, and Ang Lee's Taking Woodstock.

Chuck Cooper

(Sheldon Forrester)

Proud union actor for over 45 years, featured in 16 Broadway plays and musicals, numerous regional theatre appearances, numerous film and TV guest starring appearances. Tony Award, The Lucille Lortel Award, Two Drama Desk Nominations, Favorite role is Eddie, Alex and Lilli's father, Bodie and Quinton's Grandfather. Gratefully married to playwright Deborah Brevoort.

Danielle Campbell

(Judy Sears)

Audiences can currently enjoy seeing Danielle Campbell on the first two seasons of the Paramount+/CW series, "Tell Me a Story", the psychological thriller anthology produced by one of television's most prolific producers, Aaron Kaplan. Recently, Campbell wrapped a leading role opposite Bradley Whitford, Alice Braga and Melvin Gregg in the upcoming sci-fi thriller, Share, co-written and directed by Ira Rosensweig and produced by TPSC. The film follows a man who finds himself isolated and stripped of all of his belongings, with nothing but a primitive computer to accompany him. Campbell has seen much success over the last few years, having recently done a major recurring arc on Season 2 of Freeform's "Famous in Love". Campbell also took on several film and television projects including The Fine Brothers' first feature film "F*&% the Prom", a Fullscreen original series "Alive in Denver" opposite iCarly's Nathan Kress, Marvel's "Runaways" for Hulu, and "You Can Choose Your Family", directed by Miranda Bailey and executive produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. Campbell made her big splash as the 16-year-old powerful witch, Davina, on the CW's hit TV show "The Originals", a spin-off from "The Vampire Diaries" set in New Orleans. The Originals centers on the world's original vampires. In 2010, she starred in the Disney television movie Starstruck, and signed a development deal with the company. She then made her debut on the big screen in the 2011 Disney movie Prom, co-starring with Nicholas Braun and Aimee Teegarden. Born and raised in Hinsdale, IL, a suburb of Chicago, Campbell made her first on-screen appearance with a recurring role on the hit FOX TV show "Prison Break". Additional film credits include The Poker House with Jennifer Lawrence and Chloë Grace Moretz, Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection, and Bryan Wright's Race to Win. Campbell currently resides in Los Angeles.

Jessica Frances Dukes

(Millie Davis)

is a series regular on the hit Netflix series, "Ozark". Earlier, she recurred in numerous episodes of Marvel's "Jessica Jones" series for Netflix and guest starred on NCIS: New Orleans, The Good Wife and New Amsterdam. On stage, she was nominated for a Drama League Award for playing the title character in By The Way, Meet Vera Stark at Signature Theatre. Written by Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, the role earned her an Audelco Award. The New Yorker raved about her "crackling central performance" and described her work as "wily and fierce." Previously, Ms. Dukes received an Obie Award for her performance in BootyCandy at New York's renowned Playwrights Horizons, directed by Robert O'Hara. She also performed to critical acclaim in Dracula at Classic Stage, Is God Is at Soho Rep and Yellowman at The Billie Holiday Theatre (Audelco nomination). Other appearances include Chicago's Second City, Yale Rep, Princeton's McCarter, DC's Arena Stage, Actors Theatre of Louisville and Kennedy Center. Born and based for years in Washington, DC, she now lives in New York City.

Brandon Micheal Hall

(John Nevis)

has quickly established himself as a highly sought-after young actor. He most recently starred in CBS' series, "God Friended Me" from Executive Producer Greg Berlanti. TV Guide named Hall a breakout star of 2018 for his performance on the series, which follows an atheist whose life is turned upside down when he is "friended" by God on Facebook. In 2017, Hall was named one of Variety's Top Ten Television Stars to Watch for his breakout performance in the ABC comedy "The Mayor." Starring in the title role of the show from Executive Producers Jeremy Bronson and Daveed Diggs, he also earned 'one to watch' raves from Entertainment Weekly, The Los Angeles Times, People and IndieWire. Hall could also be seen guest-starring on the Starz crime drama "Power," in the series' final season. He guest-starred opposite Cedric the Entertainer as a father/son duo of contract killers. Hall can currently be seen on TBS' critically acclaimed series "Search Party," which recently wrapped filming on its fifth season. Hall will next star opposite Erin Doherty in the upcoming Amazon Studios/BBC psychological thriller series, "Chloe." While still a student at Juilliard, Hall landed the lead on the CBS pilot "LFE," opposite Melissa Leo. Since graduating, he has guest starred on the hit Comedy Central series "Broad City," Netflix's "The Characters," opposite Paul Downs, and A&E's "Unforgettable." On stage, he starred in the world premiere production of "Transfers," directed by Jackson Gay. On the feature side, Hall recently starred in Automatik's darkly funny horror film "Monster Party," and the independent film "Lez Bomb," opposite Bruce Dern. Hall has trained at the Juilliard Drama Division, the British American Drama Academy, and the South Carolina Governor School of the Arts and Humanities. In April, he received the 2019 President's Alumni Award from the Governor's School. This honor is bestowed on an accomplished graduate who has shown a commitment to the arts and artistic achievement, while embodying the school's key values.

Simon Jones

(Henry)

In the late 1970's, Simon Jones recorded the first of the BBC Radio 4 series, playing the soon-to-be iconic 'Arthur Dent' in Douglas Adams' "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy". He went on with this character in the later radio series, the BBC TV series, and a UK stage show tour, in 2012 and 2013. He also played 'Bridey' in Granada TV's landmark series "Brideshead Revisited" and "Sir Walter Raleigh" in "Blackadder". His Broadway debut was in 1984, in The Real Thing (directed by Mike Nichols) and he went on to star in Benefactors (helmed by Michael Blakemore), Getting Marr, ied Private Lives (opposite Joan Collins), The Real Inspector Hound/The 15-Minute Hamlet, School for Scandal, The Herbal Bed, Ring Round the Moon, Waiting in the Wings (with Lauren Bacall and Rosemary Harris), and Blithe Spirit with Angela Lansbury on Broadway, (London's West End, and a tour of North America). Latest was with Mark Rylance in Farinelli and the King. Simon's an award-winning narrator of audio books, having recorded more than 65 in the USA. His last four: Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince, Agatha Christie's The Secret of Chimneys, Philip Goodrich's Somersett and Anthony Doerr's Cloud Cuckoo Land were all given AudioFile Magazines Earphones Awards, and he has won five Audies. For 12 years he was co-artistic director of the Off-Broadway TACT (The Actors Company Theatre), and appeared in Home, The Cocktail Party and Long Island Sound. Feature films include: Miracle on 34th Street, Twelve Monkeys, Brazil, Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, Privates On Parade and The Devil's Own. He joined the cast of "Downton Abbey" for the movie, playing "King George V", and for the same team played the part of "Bannister", the butler in the new ten-part Julian Fellowes HBO Series "The Gilded Age" which is expected to air in early 2022.

Alex Mickiewicz

(Eddie Fenton)

BROADWAY: True West, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Therese Raquin (Roundabout). OFF-BROADWAY: The Last Match (Roundabout), Drift (New World Stages). REGIONAL: Death of a Salesman (Pittsburgh Public Theatre), The Last Match (Old Globe), Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare Theatre Company), Robin Hood, The Comedy of Errors (Williamstown Theatre Festival). TV: "High Maintenance", "Blue Bloods", "New Amsterdam" (Upcoming).

Don Stephenson

(Bill O'Wray)

starred as Leo Bloom in the Tony award winning Broadway production of The Producers and appeared as the D'Ysquith family in The Tony award winning Broadway production of A Gentleman's Guide To Love And Murder. Also on Broadway he created the role of Renfield in Dracula and played the role of Victor in the Tony award winning revival of Private Lives. Don created the role of Charles Clarke in the Tony award winning production of Titanic and created the role of Mr. Peavy in Parade at Lincoln Center, he created the role of Bingo Little in By Jeeves, played Hertz Kleinman in Rock Of Ages, and appeared as Frank Lippencott in the revival of Wonderful Town for the New York City Opera. He also starred in the New York City Encores productions of Me And My Girl as Herbert Parchester, was Dickie Clarke in Pardon My English, and Hal Meadows in The Bandwagon. Other New York credits include Fidele in Death Takes A Holiday, Anatoly in Chess, Bo Decker in Bus Stop, Sid Davis in Take Me Along, and Zach in The Tavern. Don performed in St. Petersburg Russia in the play Love Or Theatre?: The Life Of Charlotte Salomon, which was produced by the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center. Among his regional credits are John Adams in 1776 (Papermill Playhouse), Bingo Little in By Jeeves (Pittsburg Public Theatre), Jack in Where's Charley?( The Kennedy Center), George in Sunday In The Park With George (Theatre Factory of St. Louis), Jim in The Gift Of The Magi (Actors Theatre of Louisville), Herman in The Most Happy Fellai?? (Pittsburg Civic Light Opera), Max in Lend Me A Tenor ( Barter Theatre), and the title role in Hamlet (Clarence Brown Theatre). On television he has appeared on "FBI: Most Wanted", "Succession", "The Americans", "Happy", "Deception", "Turn; Washingtons Spies", "The Good Wife", "30 Rock", "Glee", "Ugly Betty", "Curb Your Enthusiasm", "Possible Side Effects", "Now And Again", "Law And Order", "Law And Order: Criminal Intent", "Law And Order: SVU", "All My Children", "As The World Turns" and he played the role of David Jordan on "Another World". Don can be seen in the films Little Brother, It Had To Be You and By Jeeves. He can be heard on the recordings of "An O'Henry Christmas" (Harbinger Records), the original cast albums of Titanic and Parade (RCA), Death Takes A Holiday (PS Classics) and he sings the role of Nicely-Nicely on the London recording of Guys And Dolls, Frank Lippencott in Wonderful Town, and Herman in The Most Happy Fella all for JAY Records.

Ticket Information:

Tickets can be purchased to Trouble in Mind here.

Photo Credit: Trouble in Mind, roundabouttheatre.org