Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Faye Dunaway, Lileana Blain-Cruz and Nedra McClyde. Photo by Lia Chang
Last night, New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) celebrated the opening night of the New York premiere of The House That Will Not Stand by Marcus Gardley (X: Or, Betty Shabazz v. The Nation) at Phebe’s.
Michelle Wilson, Nedra McClyde, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Lileana Blain-Cruz, Lynda Gravatt, Marie Thomas, Harriett D. Foy and Juliana Canfield. Photo by Lia Chang
Helmed by NYTW Usual Suspect and Obie Award winner Lileana Blain-Cruz (Red Speedo; Pipeline), the play began previews on July 11 at New York Theatre Workshop (79 E. 4th Street New York, NY 10003), and will have performances through Sunday, August 12.
Lileana Blain-Cruz and Faye Dunaway. Photo by Lia Chang
The cast for The House That Will Not Stand includes Helen Hayes Award nominee Joniece Abbott-Pratt (NBC’s “Blindspot,” Netflix’s “Luke Cage”), Juliana Canfield (He Brought Her Heart Back in a Box), Helen Hayes Award nominee Harriett D. Foy (Amélie), Helen Hayes Award winner Lynda Gravátt (This Flat Earth), Nedra McClyde (Marvin’s Room), Marie Thomas (Having Our Say) and Tony Award nominee Michelle Wilson (Sweat).
Jim Nicola, Michelle Wilson, Nedra McClyde, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Lileana Blain-Cruz, Lynda Gravatt, Marie Thomas, Harriett D. Foy, Juliana Canfield and Jeremy Blocker. Photo by Lia Chang
In the heat of summer in 1813, Louisiana passed from France to the United States. On the eve of the transfer, in a house in mourning, freedom hangs in the balance for a steely widow and her three eligible daughters, all free women of color. Inspired by Federico García Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba, Marcus Gardley’s lyrical, nuanced play, The House That Will Not Stand, is directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz.
Marie Thomas, Carmen de Lavallade, Count Stovall and Lynda Gravatt. Photo by Lia Chang
Faye Dunaway, Carmen de Lavallade, Count Stovall, Ayad Akhtar, Ed Iskandar, Carl Cofield, Jeremy O. Harris, Purva Bedi, Angel Desai and more were on hand for the celebration.
Ayad Akhtar, Ed Iskandar and Jeremy Blocker. Photo by Lia Chang
Marie Thomas
Lynda Gravatt
Juliana Canfield
Joniece Abbott-Pratt
Harriett D. Foy
The creative team includes scenic designer Adam Rigg (The Mad Ones), costume designer Montana Levi Blanco (Red Speedo), lighting designer Yi Zhao (Pipeline), and sound design and original music by Justin Ellington (Until the Flood). Movement is by Raja Feather Kelly (The Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World). The dialect and vocal coach is Dawn-Elin Fraser (Once on this Island). Terri Kohler (In the Blood) will serve as stage manager.
Single tickets for The House That Will Not Stand are $65, with $45 tickets available for performances from July 13-August 12.
Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis, online at NYTW.org or by phone from the NYTW Box Office at 212-460-5475. Standard ticketing fees apply.
Additionally, a CHEAPTIX $25 day-of ticket rush will be available for young people, seniors, artists and Lower East Side residents. Rush tickets are subject to availability and are sold cash-only, limit two per person. Proper identification is required for all rush tickets. Youth (ages 25 and under) and seniors (ages 65+) may present an ID indicating date-of-birth; Artists may present an ID and a program or union card; Lower East Side residents may present an ID that includes your address.
The performance schedule for The House That Will Not Stand is as follows: Tuesday and Wednesday at 7pm, Thursday and Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm & 8pm, Sunday at 1pm and 7pm. Exceptions: there will be no no performance on Tuesday, July 31; and no 7pm performance on Sunday, August 12.
Michelle Wilson, Nedra McClyde, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Lileana Blain-Cruz, Lynda Gravatt, Marie Thomas, Harriett D. Foy and Juliana Canfield. Photo by Lia Chang
Michelle Wilson, Nedra McClyde, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Lileana Blain-Cruz, Lynda Gravatt, Marie Thomas, Harriett D. Foy, Juliana Canfield and Michael R. Jackson. Photo by Lia Chang
Jaime Lincoln Smith, Lia Chang, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Charlie Hudson III, Nedra McClyde, Lilean Blain-Cruz. Photo by Lia Chang
Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Lileana Blain-Cruz, Lia Chang, Harriet D. Foy. Photo by Charlie Hudson III
Joniece Abbott-Pratt. Photo by Lia Chang
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Lia Chang. Photo by Garth Kravits
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. Lia is also an internationally published and exhibited photographer, a multi-platform journalist, and a publicist. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and Hide and Seek. She is profiled in Jade Magazine and Playbill.com.
Lia Chang Photography 