Stage Vets to Star in Cherry Lane Theatre's PASS OVER

Cherry Lane Theatre has announced casting for the third and final production of the company's award-winning MENTOR PROJECT 2016: Antoinette Nwandu's PASS OVER, being presented at Cherry Lane (38 Commerce St.) from April 13-23, it has been announced by Seri Lawrence and Janio Marrero, MENTOR PROJECT's Producing Artistic Directors. Angelina Fiordellisi is Cherry Lane's Founding Artistic Director.

Directed by Tea Alagic, the cast of PASS OVER features Jaime Lincoln Smith (HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME), Eden Marryshow (Mentor Project's THE SURGEON AND HER DAUGHTERS) and Joe Tapper (YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU).

Following its Mentor Project run, PASS OVER will be given its official world premiere next year at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, along with new works by Tracy Letts, David Rabe and Erika Sheffer. PASS OVER was a recent finalist for the Ruby Prize for playwriting.

Ms. Nwandu is mentored by Katori Hall, herself a former Mentor Project playwright whose work HOODOO LOVE was presented at Cherry Lane in 2006 when Ms. Hall was mentored by Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist Lynn Nottage.

PASS OVER is described as a mash-up of the Biblical Exodus story and some Godot-inspired absurdity in a modern, urban setting, and ponders the question - if there is a Promised Land for black men in America, what does it take to get them there?

This 18th season of MENTOR PROJECT - which annually pairs new playwrights with seasoned writers for a season of play development, casting, rehearsals and a fully-staged production - marks the first time that all three mentors had previously been young writers themselves in the theater's celebrated MENTOR PROJECT program.

Rajiv Joseph, who mentored Christopher Gabriel Nunez's play THE SURGEON AND HER DAUGHTERS this winter at Mentor Project was mentored by Theresa Rebeck in 2005 for his play HUCK AND HOLDEN. Sheila Callaghan, whose play LASCIVIOUS SOMETHING was mentored in 2006 by Michael Weller, mentored Sarah Einspanier for her play this season THE CONVENT OF PLEASUE (now through April 2).

PASS OVER has set and costume design by Becky Bodurtha, lighting design by D.M. Wood, sound design by Jane Shaw, fight direction by David Anzuelo, production stage management by Allison Raynes, with Abbey Lowenstein as assistant stage manager.

PASS OVER - Mondays through Saturdays at 7 pm. Tickets are $19. For info and reservations visit www.cherrylanetheatre.org or call OvationTix at 866 811 4111.

Pictured: Jaime Lincoln Smith; Photo by Walter McBride

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