EXCLUSIVE: The acclaimed Off Broadway cast of Bess Wohl‘s Liberation will follow the play to Broadway this October, producers announced today.
The 14-week limited engagement Broadway production will star Betsy Aidem (Prayer for the French Republic, Leopoldstadt) as Margie; Audrey Corsa (Poker Face, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) as Dora; Kayla Davion (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Waitress) as Joanne; Susannah Flood (Birthday Candles, The Cherry Orchard) as Lizzie; Kristolyn Lloyd (1776, Dear Evan Hansen) as Celeste; Irene Sofia Lucio (Slave Play, Wit) as Isidora; Charlie Thurston (Here There Are Blueberries, Wedge Horse) as Bill; and Adina Verson (Indecent, Only Murders in the Building) as Susan. Understudies are LeeAnne Hutchison, Matthew Russell, and Kedren Spencer.
Directed by Whitney White, Liberation will begin previews at the James Earl Jones Theatre on October 8, with an opening night on October 28. The cast announcement was made today by producers Daryl Roth, Eva Price, Rachel Sussman and Jenny Gersten.
“This cast is pure magic,” said playwright Wohl. “I am absolutely over the moon that audiences will get to experience their chemistry, their bravery, and their sheer joy as they work together as an ensemble. This is acting at its finest – bold, hilarious, and deeply felt. I’m so grateful to them for making my words sing and shine.”
Said director White, “It is only this cast, this group of beloved New York performers and incredible actors who could debut this work on Broadway. They connect to the play and each other in such an unforgettable way. Their chemistry is electric and you may not know them yet, but they are the stars of tomorrow. Come see them. This is a cast and generational story not to be missed.”
Liberation had its world premiere at Roundabout Theater Company’s Off Broadway venue, the Laura Pels Theater. Among other accolades Liberation won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play. The cast was honored by both the New York Drama Desk and the NY Drama Critic’s Circle for Best Ensemble Performance.
The synopsis: “Liberation is a funny, time-bending, and deeply moving new play that brings to life a group of women in 1970s Ohio who gather in the basement of the local Y for a weekly consciousness-raising group – as they find their place in a new wave of feminism taking hold around them. While their candid conversations unfold with humor, heart, and vulnerability, the play explores how everyday moments spark lasting change. Interwoven with a present-day narrator discovering her mother’s radical past before marriage and motherhood, Liberation becomes a heartfelt exploration of memory, identity, and the enduring power of women speaking their truths.”
Set design for Liberation is by David Zinn (Stereophonic), costume design is by Qween Jean (Cats: The Jellicle Ball), lighting design is by Cha See (Oh, Mary!), sound design is by Palmer Hefferan (John Proctor is the Villain), and hair and wig design by Nikiya Mathis (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding).
