Transport Group is joining forces with National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO) to revive Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance, the Pulitzer-winning work's first Off-Broadway revival as well as the first to feature a full cast of Asian-American actors. The production will begin October 22 at the Connolly Theater, with opening night set for November 6. The run will continue through November 20.
Transport Group Artistic Director Jack Cummings III will helm the production, which will feature Tina Chilip, Carmen M. Herlihy, Paul Juhn, Mia Katigbak, Manu Narayan, and Rita Wolf.
The production will also have scenic design by Peiyi Wong, costume design by Mariko Ohigashi, and lighting design by R. Lee Kennedy. Casting is by tbd casting co.'s Stephanie Yankwitt and Zee Casting's Andrea Zee, with Chris Luner serving as production manager and Kevin Zhu as stage manager.
“Partnering with NAATCO again after our successful The Trial of The Catonsville Nine production has been a goal of mine for years. Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance is a timeless classic, and yet our production will be historic, as we’re prioritizing NAATCO’s mission of re-examining the canon with Asian-American representation,” says Cummings in a statement.
"NAATCO’s partnership with Transport Group on Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance exemplifies our work of joining forces with non-Asian-American companies in our efforts to radically change the persistently narrow representation of Asian-Americans in the theatre," adds NAATCO co-founder Katigbak. "That this was Jack’s idea, his initiative to cultivate a relationship with NAATCO that began in 2016, is meaningful to me. I have always maintained that new insights about old works can come from unexpected faces, and this blends seamlessly with Transport Group's reenvisioning of 20th century American works in unconventional productions."
A Delicate Balance tells the story of a middle-aged suburban couple who try to regain control of their lives amidst a number of increasingly unwelcome house guests. The work premiered on Broadway in 1966, winning the 1967 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It has since been revived on Broadway in 1996 and 2014.
