Concluding Feb. 13
Sojourners (Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons' Peter Jay Sharp Theater). Playwrights Realm stages the world premiere of Mfoniso Udofia's Sojourners, about a Nigerian woman's life-changing journey to the U.S. The Off-Broadway production is helmed by Ed Sylvanus Iskandar. "Abasiama came to America with high hopes — for her arranged marriage and for her future — intent on earning a degree and returning to Nigeria," state production notes. "But when her husband is seduced by America, she must choose between the Nigerian and the American dream." The cast includes Hubert Point-Du Jour, Lakisha Michelle May, Chinasa Ogbuagu and Chinaza Uche. Visit PlaywrightsRealm.org.
Concluding Feb. 14
Misery (Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre). Misery, the new Broadway suspense thriller based on Stephen King's novel of the same name, stars Emmy Award winners Bruce Willis and Laurie Metcalf and Leon Addison Brown. The new play, adapted from the book, has a script by Academy Award winner William Goldman. According to press notes, "Successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon (Willis) is rescued from a car crash by his 'Number One Fan,' Annie Wilkes (Metcalf), and wakes up captive in her secluded home. While Paul is convalescing, Annie reads the manuscript to his newest novel and becomes enraged when she discovers the author has killed off her favorite character, Misery Chastain. Annie forces Paul to write a new 'Misery' novel, and he quickly realizes Annie has no intention of letting him go anywhere. The irate Annie has Paul writing as if his life depends on it, and if he does not make her deadline, it will." Visit MiseryBroadway.com.
Allegiance (Off-Broadway at the Longacre Theatre). Allegiance, the new American musical co-starring Lea Salonga, Telly Leung, George Takei and Katie Rose Clarke, is based on events in Takei's family during World War II. The musical is billed as the "vibrant and unforgettable story of one family's resilience in the face of seemingly-insurmountable odds." Allegiance has a book by Marc Acito, Jay Kuo and Lorenzo Thione with music and lyrics by Kuo. Olivier Award nominee Stafford Arima directs in his Broadway debut. Andrew Palermo serves as choreographer. Allegiance, according to press notes, "illuminates one of American history’s lesser known chapters as it tells the story of Sam Kimura (Takei), transported back nearly six decades to when his younger self (Leung) and his sister Kei (Salonga) fought to stay connected to their heritage, their family, and themselves after Japanese Americans were wrongfully imprisoned during World War II. An epic story told with great intimacy, Allegiance explores the ties that bind us, the struggle to persevere, and the overwhelming power of forgiveness and, most especially, love." Visit AllegianceMusical.com.
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Cabin in the Sky (Off-Broadway at New York City Center). Tony Award winners Chuck Cooper and LaChanze as well as Tony nominee Norm Lewis star in the City Center Encores! staging of the 1940 Vernon Duke-John Latouche musical Cabin in the Sky. The cast also includes J. Bernard Calloway, Marva Hicks, Carly Hughes, Forrest McClendon and J.D. Webster. Tony Award winner Ruben Santiago‐Hudson directs with choreography by Camille A. Brown. According to Encores!, "Cabin in the Sky followed Porgy and Bess in celebrating African‐American music and dance traditions. The musical tells the story of 'Little Joe' Jackson, a charming ne'er‐do‐well who dies in a saloon brawl and is given six months on earth to prove his worth to the Lord's General (Norm Lewis) and his long‐suffering wife Petunia (LaChanze), while resisting the temptations of the Devil's Head Man (Chuck Cooper)." Visit NYCityCenter.org.
A Dream of Red Pavilions (Off-Broadway at Theatre Row's Clurman). A Dream of Red Pavilions is the epic 18th-century Chinese novel about the rise and fall of an aristocratic family as reflected in a romance between two cousins. Jeremy Tiang has written the script, based on the classic novel by Cao Xueqin, which is directed by Tisa Chang and Lu Yu. Vichet Chum and Kelsey Wang star as Baoyu (Precious Jade) and Daiyu (Dark Jade), two beings from the heavenly kingdom — a stone and a flower — who are reborn on earth as cousins and fall in love. Also featured in the cast: Leanne Cabrera as their cousin Baochai and Shigeko Sara Suga as Matriarch. E.J. An, Amanda Centeno, Allison Hiroto, Fenton Li, Audrey Wang and Mandarin Wu play members of the noble Jia family and their household heading for social disgrace and financial disaster. According to production notes, the play is set in 18th-century China during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. "The story centers on the cousins’ ill-fated romance, and explores a crumbling society as the Chinese aristocracy finds itself increasingly unable to maintain the façade of noble infallibility." Visit PanAsianRep.org.
