Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater presents August Wilson's classic drama King Hedley II. Set in the 1980s Hill District of Pittsburgh, the ninth installment of Pulitzer Prize winner Wilson's acclaimed play cycle examining Black America follows a scarred ex-convict who struggles to turn his life around and lock away his past. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!
The drama is directed by Timothy Douglas, who worked with the late playwright on the world premiere of Radio Golf and has directed eight plays out of Wilson's 10-play cycle. King Hedley II runs February 6-March 8, 2015 in the Fichandler Stage.
As previously announced, Bowman Wright stars as King, the returning ex-convict with seven years of prison haunting him. Wright, who was last seen at Arena Stage as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in The Mountaintop, is joined by returning Arena Stage cast members E. Faye Butler (Smokey Joe's Café, Pullman Porter Blues, Oklahoma!) as Ruby and KenYatta Rogers (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) as Mister. Making their Arena Stage debuts are Tony Award nominee André De Shields (Broadway's The Full Monty, Ain't Misbehavin') as Stool Pigeon, Jessica Frances Dukes (Playwrights Horizons' Bootycandy) as Tonya and Michael Anthony Williams (Round House's Two Trains Running) as Elmore.
Photos courtesy Arena Stage.
Artistic Director Molly Smith and cast member Andre De Shields
Cast member E. Faye Butler, director Timothy Douglas and cast member Bowman Wright
Executive Producer Edgar Dobie and cast member Jessica Frances Dukes
Director Timothy Douglas, lighting designer Allen Lee Hughes and cast member Michael Anthony Williams
Director Timothy Douglas and members of the cast
Director Timothy Douglas and Artistic Director Molly Smith
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