THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES at Atlantic Theater Company Extends One Week

Atlantic Theater Company announces a one week extension for the world premiere production of The Secret Life of Bees, book by Pulitzer Prize-winner Lynn Nottage, music by Tony and Grammy Award winner Duncan Sheik, lyrics by Drama Desk winner Susan Birkenhead, directed by Tony Award winner Sam Gold, and based on the best-selling novel by Sue Monk Kidd. The highly anticipated production, which opens on Thursday, June 13th, will now play through Sunday, July 14th, 2019 Off-Broadway at the Linda Gross Theater (336 West 20th Street).

The Secret Life of Bees, which begins performances on Sunday, May 12th, will feature 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.

The Secret Life of Bees will feature choreography by Chris Walker, scenic design by Mimi Lien, costume design by Dede Ayite, lighting design by Jane Cox, sound design by Dan Moses Schreier, puppets by AchesonWalsh Studios, musical direction by Jason Hart, music contraction by Antoine Silverman, orchestrations by Duncan Sheik and John Clancy, incidental music orchestrations by Duncan Sheik, hair and makeup design by Cookie Jordan, fight direction by UnkleDave's Fight House, dialects by Dawn-Elin Fraser, and casting by Telsey + Company, Patrick Goodwin, CSA.

A workshop production of The Secret Life of Bees was presented by New York Stage and Film & Vassar at the Powerhouse Theater, Summer 2017.

ATLANTIC (Neil Pepe, Artistic Director; Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director; Mary McCann, School Executive Director). At Atlantic, our aim is singular-to empower simple and honest storytelling that fosters greater understanding of our shared world. We are a family of artists dedicated to exploring essential truths onstage, be it a show at Atlantic Theater Company or a class at Atlantic Acting School. As a producer, presenter, and educator of theater, we are driven by the belief that theater can challenge and transform our ways of thinking and urge us to reflect on our role in society. From our Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning productions to our community-based education programs, we are committed to uncovering and celebrating the stories of our varied human existence. Founded as an ensemble of impassioned artists in 1985, Atlantic Theater Company has grown into a powerhouse off-Broadway company. We challenge, inspire, and awaken audiences with truthful storytelling presented across our two venues, the Linda Gross Theater and the intimate Stage 2 black-box. As a producer of compelling new works, we are committed to championing the stories from new and established artists alike, amplifying the voices of emerging playwrights through our deeply collaborative programs and initiatives. We have produced more than 200 plays and musicals including Tony Award-winning productions of The Band's Visit (David Yazbek, Itamar Moses); Spring Awakening (Steven Sater, Duncan Sheik); and The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Martin McDonagh); Pulitzer Prize recipient Between Riverside and Crazy (Stephen Adly Guirgis); New York Drama Critics' Circle winner for Best New Play The Night Alive (Conor McPherson) and Best Foreign Play Hangmen (Martin McDonagh); Obie Award winner for Best New American Play Describe the Night (Rajiv Joseph); and Obie Award Special Citation recipient Skeleton Crew (Dominique Morisseau). For more information, visit atlantictheater.org.