Photo Flash: Rajiv Joseph's THE LAKE EFFECT In Cleveland

Karamu House joins forces with Ensemble Theatre to present the socially relevant comedy The Lake Effect written by Cleveland Heights native Rajiv Joseph. This Ohio premiere runs from November 2 through November 26, 2017 at the historical renowned Karamu House Concert Hall.

During a fierce Cleveland mid-winter storm, estranged siblings are reunited by their father's sudden death. In the midst of closing his failing Indian restaurant, a regular customer claims to know much about their father and their family secrets. This spicy comedy serves up a complex platter of sibling rivalry, unlikely friendships, and brash perceptions of race, gender and success.

The Lake Effect was co-commissioned in 2013 by Chicago's Silk Road Rising and Crossroads Theatre of New Brunswick, NJ with development support from NYC's The Lark Play Development Center. The play received its world premiere in April 2013 at Silk Road Rising in Chicago, IL, receiving a 2013 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Play. The play has also been produced at Geva Theatre (Rochester, NY) and TheatreWorks in California. Best known for his Pulitzer Prize-nominated play Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Joseph smartly interweaves humorous family drama between two siblings and their deceased father, along with grief and loss, mental health awareness, and traditional gender roles.

Directed by Celeste Cosentino, Executive Artistic Director of Ensemble Theatre, The Lake Effect features Natalie El Dabh as Priya, LaShawn Little as Bernard, and Ammen T. Suleiman as Vijay. Tickets range from $15-$37 and can be purchased by calling Karamu House ticket office at (216) 795-7077 or by visiting www.karamuhouse.org.

Ammen T. Suleiman and LaShawn Little (Photo credit: Michelle Berki)

Natalie El Dabh (Photo credit: Michelle Berki)

Ammen T. Suleiman, Natalie El Dabh and LaShawn Little (Photo credit: Michelle Berki)

Ammen T. Suleiman (Photo credit: Michelle Berki)

Natalie El Dabh, Ammen T. Suleiman and LaShawn Little (Photo credit: Michelle Berki)

Natalie El Dabh, Ammen T. Suleiman and LaShawn Little (Photo credit: Michelle Berki)

Ammen T. Suleiman (Photo credit: Michelle Berki)

LaShawn Little (Photo credit: Michelle Berki)