We previously talked about a run of Head of Passes at Berkeley Repertory Theatre to rave reviews back in May starring Cheryl Lynn Bruce. So, we’re so excited that Tony Award winner Phylicia Rashad has signed on and that this new mounting is a co-production with Berkley Rep. Joining her in the cast of the nine person play includes Alana Arenas (Cookie), Francois Battiste (Aubrey), Kyle Beltran (Crier), and J. Bernard Calloway (Spencer). This is something you do not want to miss. The show is being billed as follows:

Tarell Alvin McCraney, MacArthur Award-winning playwright of the acclaimed Brother/Sister Plays, has written a poetic and contemporary parable inspired by the Book of Job. At the mouth of the Mississippi River, Shelah’s family and friends have come to celebrate her birthday and save her from a leaking roof, but unexpected events turn the reunion into the ultimate test of faith and love. As her world seems to collapse around her, Shelah must fight to survive the rising flood of life’s greatest challenges. 

PHYLICIA RASHAD (Shelah) was last seen at The Public in The Story by Tracey Scott Wilson in 2003, as well as in Helen in 2002, and Everybody’s Rudy in 1999. She is a versatile performer who became a household name when she portrayed “Claire Huxtable” on “The Cosby Show,” a character whose appeal has earned numerous honors and awards for over two decades. While television was a catalyst in the rise of Rashad’s career, she has also been a force on the stage, appearing both on and off-Broadway, often in projects that showcase her musical talent such as Jelly’s Last Jam, Into The Woods, Dreamgirls, and The Wiz. As a dramatic actress, Rashad has appeared on Broadway in August Osage County, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (also West End), Gem Of The Ocean (Tony nomination), A Raisin in the Sun (Drama Desk and Tony Awards) and Cymbeline. She appeared in Tyler Perry’s Good Deeds, and starred in Perry’s highly acclaimed film version of Ntozake Shange’s For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf. She made her directorial debut at the Seattle Repertory Theater with August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean and has directed works at The Ebony Repertory, Kirk Douglas Theatre, Westport County Playhouse, Mark Taper, Longwharf Theatre, and the McCarter Theatre. Rashad has received numerous honorary doctorate degrees and awards for excellence both in theater and television.

The post Phylicia Rashad Will Star In Tarell Alvin McCraney’s Head Of Passes at The Public Theater appeared first on Broadway Black.

McCraney’s play Head of Passes is currently on stage at Berkeley Rep. Described as a “poignant and poetic new play about the journey of family and faith, trial and tribulation,” Head of Passes takes place in a “dilapidated house near the ever-shifting mouth of the Mississippi,” where “Shelah’s family gathers on a stormy night for her birthday—bringing ghosts and secrets of the past with them. As her roof buckles under the weight of the rain, Shelah’s convictions begin to wash away, leaving her to excavate the truths buried below.”

Featuring a powerhouse cast including Cheryl Lynn Bruce (The Gospel of Lovingkindness, Gem of the Ocean, The Convert, Intimate Apparel) reprising her role from the Chicago world premiere, Michael A. Shepperd (Choir Boy, Take Me Out, Master Harold and the Boys), Jonathan Burke (Choir Boy, Langston in Harlem, The Wiz), Francois Battiste (Bronx Bombers, Magic/Byrd, Detroit ’67, Broke-ology, The Good Negro), Nikkole Salter (Tough Titty, Stick Fly, Jitney), Brian Tyree Henry (Fortress of Solitude, The Book of Mormon, The Brother’s Size), Kimberly Scott (Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Ruined) and Sullivan Jones (One Night in Miami, Intimate Apparel), this production is making a lot of good noise down in the Bay.

“McCraney writes the richest dialogue of any scribe of his generation.” — Chicago Tribune.

“A stunning production…Every one of the performances is spot-on, effectively shaping distinct personalities who give credible, affecting and sometimes amusing shape to McCraney’s tale, which was inspired by the Book of Job. But this is Shelah’s drama, and Bruce dispatches it with heart, power and conviction that is as close to biblical as we’re likely to see on a stage. It’s a tour-de-force to remember, in an expertly crafted play.” — Huffington Post.

Head of Passes is on the Thrust Stage at Berkeley Rep now until May 24th. If you’re in the Bay, or can get to the Bay, this is a MUST SEE.

WATCH: Playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney talks about the heart of his play.

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