James Ijames' Good Bones Begins New York Premiere at The Public September 19, Gets 2nd Extension

James Ijames (Fat Ham)'s Good Bones begins its already extended New York premiere at Off-Broadway's Public Theater September 19. Directed by Public Associate Artistic Director Saheem Ali, the production will open October 1 in the company's Martinson Hall. With a newly announced second extension, performances will now continue through October 27.

The cast includes Mamoudou Athie as Travis, Khris Davis as Earl, Téa Guarino as Carmen, and Susan Kelechi Watson as Aisha. Understudies Aaron J. Anderson and Sabrina K. Victor round out the company.

The play, which premiered at Washington, D.C.'s Studio Theatre last year, centers on a woman who gets a chance to revitalize the troubled neighborhood in which she grew up, a process that quickly devolves into painful and hard conversations about who gets to stay and who must go. The production brings Ijames back to the Public after the company's staging of his Pulitzer-winning Fat Ham transferred to Broadway.

The production also features scenic design by Maruti Evans, costume design by Oana Botez, lighting design by Barbara Samuels, sound design by Fan Zhang, and hair and wig design by Krystal Balleza. Jack Phillips Moore is serving as dramaturg, Norman Anthony Small will be production stage manager, and Giselle Andrea Raphaela will be stage manager. Darrell Grand Moultrie is providing drill choreography.

Tickets are available at PublicTheater.org.