Nick Rashad Burroughs, Amber Iman & More to Star in GODDESS at The Public Theater

The Public Theater has revealed the initial cast for the upcoming musical GODDESS. After a world premiere at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, GODDESS will make its debut in New York. The production, conceived and directed by Associate Artistic Director/Resident Director Saheem Ali, features music and lyrics by Michael Thurber, a book by Tony Award nominee Jocelyn Bioh, and choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie. Performances will begin in the Newman Theater on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, and will run through Sunday, June 1, with an official press opening on Tuesday, May 20.

The team behind the 2021 Free Shakespeare in the Park production of Merry Wives returns to The Public with the New York premiere of a new musical conceived and directed by Associate Artistic Director/Resident Director Saheem Ali, featuring music and lyrics by Michael Thurber and a book by Tony Award nominee Jocelyn Bioh. A mysterious singer arrives at Moto Moto, a steamy Afro-jazz club in Mombasa, Kenya. She casts an entrancing spell on everyone, including a young man who has returned home from studying in America. Will the big plans for his life—stepping into a political legacy and marrying his fiancée—be upended? Inspired by the myth of Marimba, the Goddess who created beautiful songs from her heartbreak, this is a rousing tale of romance, the supernatural, and the quest towards one’s truest self.

“When I was in my late teens growing up in Kenya, I dreamt of one day creating an original musical inspired by a myth about the Goddess of music,” shares conceiver and director of GODDESS, Saheem Ali. “Years later, after immigrating to the United States, I gained the courage to pursue this vision. It’s been quite a journey! At the core of the story—about the intersection of the creative and the divine—is a reminder that one can only step into one’s power by accepting one’s truth. I’m grateful to my creative siblings Michael Thurber and Jocelyn Bioh, for sticking beside me through the years, as we now bring this beautiful story set in my home country to my artistic home, The Public Theater.”

Preliminary casting for GODDESS includes Nick Rashad Burroughs (Ahmed), Melessie Clark (Mosi/Understudy), Amber Iman (Nadira), Arica Jackson (Rashida), J Paul Nicholas (Hassan), Isio-Maya Nuwere (Ensemble), Teshomech Olenja (Tisa/Understudy), Destinee Rea (Cheche), Awa Sal Secka (Zawadi/Understudy), Austin Scott (Omari), Quiantae Thomas (Ensemble), Wade Watson (Ensemble), and Reggie White (Balozi). Additional casting will be announced later. Original casting for GODDESS was by Whitley Productions, with casting for The Public's production by Taylor Williams.

The production will include scenic design by Arnulfo Maldonado, costume design by Dede Ayite, lighting design by Bradley King, and sound design by Nevin Steinberg. Victoria Navarro will be the production stage manager. Additional designers for the production will be announced at a later date.