Casting Announced For Matthew Libby’s DATA At Arena Stage
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The world of Silicon Valley is headed straight to Washington D.C. in Matthew Libby’s new suspenseful drama Data. Directed by Margot Bordelon, the play will premiere October 31, 2024 before an official opening night on November 7, 2024. Data will play a limited engagement at Arena Stage’s Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle theatre through December 15, 2024.
The star-studded cast includes Karan Brar in his theatrical debut as Maneesh, Stephen Cefalu, Jr. as Jonah, Isabel Van Natta as Riley, and Rob Yang as Wang Tao (Alex).
Data follows Maneesh, an entry-level programmer at Athena Technologies. Content with working in the low-stress environment of User Experience, Maneesh faces a crisis of conscience when he is transferred to the central Data Analytics team and learns the true nature of Athena's highly controversial and secretive work. Torn between idealism and survival, Maneesh is forced to come to terms with his unique American identity while learning the lengths to which Athena is willing to go to hide its gruesome secrets.
“I am beyond thrilled to be collaborating with this dream team to bring the world premiere of Data to Arena Stage,” said Libby. “This play was born out of my experience coming of age in Silicon Valley, torn between the tech industry's glamour and its power, — a tension that, as the past several decades have proven, creates the world we live in for better or worse.”
Joining Bordelon, the creative team for Data includes set designer Marsha Ginsberg (Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Lehman Trilogy), costume designer Beth Goldenberg (New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Juilliard’s The Mother of Us All), lighting designer Amith Chandrashaker (Broadway’s Prayer for the French Republic), sound designer Mikaal Sulaiman (Broadway’s Fat Ham), composer Dan Kluger (Broadway’s Oklahoma!), stage manager Elisa Guthertz (Berkeley Repertory Theatre's Mother Road, Arena’s Sanctuary City), and assistant stage manager Lauren Pekel (Studio Theatre’s Fun Home). New York casting is by Taylor Williams Casting. DC casting is by Raiyon Hunter.
