Cincinatti Playhouse in the Park Presents Walter Mosley's Debut Play, THE FALL OF HEAVEN, 1/23-2/20

The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park will continue its Marx Theatre season with best-selling author Walter Mosley and his first-ever play, THE FALL OF HEAVEN. This hip and inventive new play will receive its world premiere at The Playhouse January 23rd through February 20th.

Based on his novel The Tempest Tales, THE FALL OF HEAVEN is about Tempest Landry, a street-wise young man living in Harlem who accidentally gets shot and unexpectedly finds himself at the Pearly Gates. When Saint Peter orders him to hell, the quick-witted Tempest refuses to go, believing he was justified in his actions.

Due to the fact that no one has ever questioned Saint Peter's judgment before, a technical loophole forces Heaven to send Tempest back to Earth with an angel named Joshua to keep him out of trouble. However, now the fate of the afterworld lies in Tempest's hands: if he refuses to see the error of his ways, Heaven will collapse, thereby allowing hell and its keeper to reign supreme.

Walter Mosley has written more than 25 critically acclaimed books that have been translated into 21 languages, including Devil in a Blue Dress, which was made into a feature film starring Denzel Washington. He is the author of the bestselling Easy Rawlins series of mysteries and has received numerous awards and honors for his work including the O. Henry Award, a Grammy and the "Risktaker Award" from The Sundance Institute. Mosley has also been recognized for the way he addresses race in his writing, winning the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award.

Though he may be best known for his mystery novels (and his status as one of Bill Clinton's favorite writers), Walter Mosley has achieved success in the literary worlds of science fiction and non-fiction and has been published in The New Yorker, GQ and Esquire. His latest book, The Long Fall, has received widespread acclaim.

According to Producing Artistic Director Edward Stern, "Walter Mosley loves theatre and wanted to do a play for years. The subject matter, the material, the characters and the language are all absolutely unique to Walter. For me, to have our audiences be the first to see this celebrated author writing for the stage was really quite significant."

The cast includes Leland Gantt as Tempest Landry (In Walks Ed, Dark Paradise), Joy C. Hooper as Alfreda and Darlene (Doubt), Anthony Marble as Basil Bob and St. Peter, (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Twelfth Night, Othello), Esau Pritchett as Joshua Angel (Othello) and Heather Alicia Simms as Branwyn Weeks (Spunk).

Director Marion McClinton will helm the production. McClinton is well-known for his award-winning Broadway and off-Broadway productions of August Wilson's work and received a 2001 Tony Award nomination for Best Director (Play) for King Hedley II. He is also a successful playwright and the recipient of two Audelco Awards, the OBIE, NEA/TCG Pew Charitable Trust Grant, Drama Desk and Evening Standard nominations.

Other members of the acclaimed artistic team include Set Designer David Gallo, who designed the set for the 2006 Playhouse production of Company and won a 2006 Tony Award for Best Scenic Design for The Drowsy Chaperone. In addition to numerous Broadway productions, he has worked extensively in Europe and Asia. Gallo is the recipient of numerous Drama Desk, American Theatre Wing, Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics Circle, Ovation, FANY, NAACP, AUDELCO and Eddy Awards, as well as the OBIE Award for Sustained Excellence in Set Design.

Costume Designer Karen Perry is one of entertainment's foremost costume designers. Within a three-decade career, she has built an incredible body of work on screen and stage including Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk and Dancing on Moonlight in New York. In addition, she has worked as a personal stylist for many leading artists. She is the winner of two Audelco Awards (2006 and 2008), a Lucille Lortel nominee and the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award in Costume Design for American & Black Theatre, Film & Television.

Winner of the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for his lighting of Disney's The Lion King, Donald Holder is one of the most respected lighting designers working in theatre today. Recent Broadway credits range from the revival of South Pacific at Lincoln Center Theatre, for which he won a second Tony, to recent revivals of Cyrano de Bergerac and Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

Sound Designers Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen have been creating music and sound together for more than 20 years. They created the music and composition for the Broadway productions of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Speed of Darkness. They are also regular designers in regional theatres as well as off-Broadway and have produced music and sound for films. The Production Stage Manager is Jenifer Morrow and Second Stage Manager is Andrea L. Shell.

Prices for THE FALL OF HEAVEN range from $25-$63, depending on day and seat location. New this season, tickets are just $25 for the preview performances at 8 p.m. Saturday, January 23; 2 p.m. Sunday, January 24; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 26; and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 27. Some restrictions apply. The official opening night is Thursday, January 28 at 8 p.m.

Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 4 and 8 p.m. on Saturdays; and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sundays.

Tickets to THE FALL OF HEAVEN are on sale now. For more information, call The Playhouse box office at 513/421-3888 (toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana at 800/582-3208) or visit www.cincyplay.com. Call 513/345-2248 for TDD accessibility.

Walter Mosley will be at The Playhouse on January 14 at 7 p.m. to discuss THE FALL OF HEAVEN. A book signing will follow. Books will be available for sale on site from Joseph-Beth Booksellers. The event is free, but tickets should be reserved in advance. Seating is limited and subject to availability. Call The Playhouse Box Office at 513-421-3888.

The Playhouse is supported, in part, by the generosity of the tens of thousands of individuals and businesses that give to the Fine Arts Fund. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund The Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Playhouse also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation.

For more information, visit www.cincyplay.com.

 

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