Cleo King, NaTasha Yvette Williams, Devere Rogers, and More Join Full Cast of CHICKEN & BISCUITS
Producers Pamela Ross, Hunter Arnold, E. Clayton Cornelious and Leah Michalos are delighted to announce the full Broadway cast of Chicken & Biscuits, the new comedy play by Douglas Lyons making its Broadway premiere this fall at Circle in the Square Theatre.
Joining the previously-announced Tony Award nominee Norm Lewis (Porgy and Bess, Da 5 Bloods) as Reginald Mabry and Drama Desk Award winner Michael Urie (Torch Song, “Ugly Betty”) as Logan Leibowitz, are Cleo King (“Mike & Molly,” “Deadwood”) in her Broadway debut as Baneatta Mabry, Broadway veteran NaTasha Yvette Williams (Waitress, Porgy and Bess) as Brianna Jenkins, and Devere Rogers (Up Here, “OK Boomer”) in his Broadway debut as Kenny Mabry. Reprising their roles from the play’s world premiere at Queens Theatre, and making their Broadway stage debuts, are Ebony Marshall-Oliver (Merry Wives of Windsor and Ain't No Mo' at Public Theater) as Beverly Jenkins, Aigner Mizzelle as La'trice Franklin, and Alana Raquel Bowers (What to Send Up When it Goes Down) as Simone Mabry. Joining the company as understudies are Dean Acree (Words, Razors and the Wounded), Jennifer Fouché (Sistas: The Musical) as the Baneatta Mabry standby, Michael Genet (The Prom), Miles G Jackson (Endlings) and Camille Upshaw (“That Damn Michael Che”).
Directed by Zhailon Levingston (Associate Director, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical), who becomes the youngest black director in Broadway history when he makes his debut this fall at age 27, the Chicken & Biscuits creative team also includes Scenic Designer Lawrence E. Moten III (Assoc., What the Constitution Means to Me, Hadestown), Tony Award-nominated Costume Designer Dede Ayite (Slave Play, American Son), Lighting Designer Adam Honoré (Assoc., Derren Brown: Secret), and Sound Designer Twi McCallum (Assoc., Pride & Prejudice at Long Wharf Theatre).
The play marks eighteen Broadway debuts amongst the company, creative, and producing team. In addition to the aforementioned debuts of Levingston and nine cast members, Douglas Lyons and E. Clayton Cornelious – known to Broadway audiences for their onstage roles in several hit Broadway musicals – make their debuts as playwright and lead producer, respectively, alongside producing newcomers Pamela Ross and Leah Michalos. Designers Moten, Honoré and McCallum, and Casting Director Erica A. Hart, also make their Broadway debuts with the play. Production Stage Management is by lark hackshaw.
This dynamic ensemble cast leads a raucous family comedy so full of laughter and love, it’ll leave you begging for seconds. The Jenkins family is coming together to celebrate the life of their father—hopefully without killing each other! But any hopes for a peaceful reunion unravel when a family secret shows up at the funeral. Chicken & Biscuits had its world premiere on February 28, 2020 at Queens Theatre, but the engagement was cut short less than two weeks later, when the theater industry suspended operations due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The play begins previews on Broadway Thursday, September 23, 2021, with an Opening Night of Sunday, October 10, 2021, for a limited engagement through Sunday, January 2, 2022. Tickets are on sale now at Telecharge.com or by calling 212-239-6200.
