Photo Coverage: Atlantic Theater Company Celebrates Opening Night of THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES

Atlantic Theater Company's World Premiere musical The Secret Life of Bees, book by Lynn Nottage, music by Duncan Sheik, lyrics by Susan Birkenhead, directed by Sam Gold, choreographed by Chris Walker and based on the best-selling novel by Sue Monk Kidd, just opened at the Linda Gross Theater (336 West 20th Street). The production is a limited run through July 14, 2019.

The Secret Life of Bees features Romelda Teron Benjamin (Bare: A Pop Opera), Joe Cassidy (Waitress), Vita E. Cleveland (Off-Broadway debut), Obie Award winner Eisa Davis (Passing Strange, NBC's "Rise"), Matt DeAngelis (Waitress), Tony Award nominee Manoel Felciano (Sweeney Todd, Amélie, A New Musical), Brett Gray (Netflix's "On My Block"), Jai'Len Christine Li Josey (SpongeBob SquarePants - The Musical), Tony Award winner LaChanze (The Color Purple, Summer), Anastacia McCleskey (Waitress), Tony Award nominee Saycon Sengbloh (Eclipsed, In the Blood), Nathaniel Stampley (Superhero), and Elizabeth Teeter (The Crucible).

South Carolina, 1964. Lily Owens, a restless white teenager, struggles with her merciless father and the haunting memory of her mother's death. When Rosaleen, her black caregiver, is beaten and jailed for asserting her right to vote, Lily's rebellious spirit is ignited. She and Rosaleen escape on an adventure where they are taken in by a trio of black beekeeping sisters. While Lily tries to unlock the secrets of her past, she and Rosaleen find solace in the mesmerizing world of bees and spirituality in this extraordinary tale of awakening, fellowship and healing.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski