Daniel Beaty Stars In THROUGH THE NIGHT At Union Square Theatre

Producer Daryl Roth today announced that she will present Through the Night, the acclaimed solo show written and performed by Daniel Beaty, in an extended run Off Broadway, beginning performances September 10 at The Union Square Theatre. Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, and fresh from its sold-out run at the Riverside Church, Through the Night will officially open on September 26, 2010. Mr. Beaty's last New York stage appearance was in 2006, winning an Obie Award for his acclaimed solo show Emergency (formerly Emergence-SEE!) at The Public Theater.

Through the Night is being presented with the enthusiastic participation of a "Who's Who" of artists and influencers who will act as Artistic Ambassadors for the production. This select group, who will be actively involved in the production, lending support through audience development, personal appearances, etc., includes Bill Cosby, Ruby Dee, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Phylicia Rashad, among many others.

"When I first saw this extraordinary play, I was incredibly moved by the powerful, entertaining and empowering message that it offers," Ms. Roth said.

This production marks Ms. Roth's return to The Union Square Theatre. The 499-seat venue housed the Pulitzer Prize-winning production of W;t, which she produced, from 1998 to 2000.

In Through the Night, Mr. Beaty portrays an entire community of people who experience an unexpected epiphany on the same evening that changes their lives forever. The work is a timely and inspiring story of possibility and hope, weaving together a unique blend of humor, poetry, music, and drama. The New York Times wrote of Through the Night, "Daniel Beaty's poetic solo show is a thing of beauty, wit, grit and piercing lyricism."

The creative team of Through the Night includes Alexander V. Nichols (Scenic, Projection, and Lighting Design) and Lindsay Jones (Original Music, Sound Design).

Tickets, priced at $65.00, will be available beginning on July 30 via Ticketmaster.com / (800) 982-2787. Beginning on September 3, tickets will also be available in person at The Union Square Theatre Box Office (100 E. 17th Street, NYC). The Box Office will be open Tuesday-Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Additional news will be announced shortly.

Bios

Daniel Beaty (Playwright/Performer) is an award winning actor, singer, writer, and composer. His critically acclaimed solo play Emergency (formerly Emergence-SEE!) directed by Kenny Leon ran off-Broadway to a sold-out, extended run at The Public Theater in the fall of 2006. For this production, he received the 2007 Obie Award for Excellence in Off-Broadway Theater for Writing & Performing and the 2007 AUDELCO Award for Solo Performance. New York Magazine awarded him a 2007 Culture Award for Best in Theater. Daniel has toured Emergency nationally and internationally. He is the recipient of the 2007 Scotsman Fringe First Award for the best new writer at the Edinburgh Festival and was presented with a Lamplighter Award from the Black Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C. In February 2008, he received two Helen Hayes Award nominations for the best in theater in Washington, D.C. and in June 2008, he was the winner of the Unique Theatrical Experience Award from the New Jersey Star Ledger for his production at the Crossroads Theater Company in New Brunswick, New Jersey. In the spring of 2008, Emergency had a sold-out seven-week engagement at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. This production was directed by Charles Randolph-Wright and was awarded two 2009 NAACP Theater Awards including Best Actor.

As an actor, singer, and poet, Daniel has worked throughout the U.S., Europe, and Africa performing on television, acting in theatrical productions, singing leading roles in operas, and giving solo concerts of his own work. He has performed at The White House and has graced the stage of The Kennedy Center in tribute to Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis. Daniel is the 2004 Grand Slam Champion at the world famous Nuyorican Poet's Café and The Fox Networks National Redemption Slam Champion. He has performed on programs with artists such as Jill Scott, Sonia Sanchez, MC Lyte, Mos Def, Tracy Chapman, Deepak Chopra, and Phylicia Rashad.

Daniel was seen on the third and fourth seasons of HBO's Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry; as a guest artist on NBC's Showtime at the Apollo with Rueben Studdard; and on BET's 106 & Park. He holds a BA with Honors in English & Music from Yale University and an MFA in Acting from The American Conservatory Theatre (ACT).

As a playwright and composer, Daniel's work has been performed, staged and work-shopped at The Public Theater, BAM, New York Theater Workshop, La Mama, Arena Stage, Harford Stage, Philadelphia Theater Company, ALLIANCE THEATRE, True Colors Theater Company, Crossroads Theater Company, American Conservatory Theater, Yale University, The Geffen Playhouse and various other academic institutions and civic organizations. He was awarded the 2007-08 AETNA American Voices Playwright-in-Residence position at Hartford Stage, and a commission to write a new play. His play Resurrection received its world premiere production at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. in August 2008 (where he was awarded the 2008 Edgerton Foundation's new American Play Award); followed by engagements at Hartford Stage, the Philadelphia Theatre Company, and ETA Theater in Chicago.

In October 2008, Daniel Collaborated with composer and violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain on an orchestral work titled Darwin's Meditation for the People of Lincoln that premiered at the BAM Next Wave Festival and continues to tour nationally and internationally. His family musical Trippin' was optioned by Disney and produced by Harlem Stage. Breath & Imagination, Daniel's new musical about the life of Roland Hayes, the first African-American classical vocalist of world renown, recently received a reading at the York Theater.

In addition to his writing for the stage, Daniel was hired by Showtime to create an original half hour series based on his play Emergency and by Spitfire Pictures to create an original screenplay about the life of George Moses Horton, an African-American poet born into slavery.

Daniel is a proud member of New Dramatists. www.danielbeaty.com
Charles Randolph-Wright (Director) has built a dynamic and diversified career in directing, writing, and producing for theatre, television, and film. Charles most recently directed a revival of Sophisticated Ladies at Arena Stage (starring Maurice Hines), which became the most successful production in Arena's 60 year history. Charles also directed the 75th anniversary international tour of Porgy and Bess, They're Playing Our Song (in Portuguese) in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil, Emergency (with Daniel Beaty) at the Geffen Theatre in LA, Blood Knot at ACT in San Francisco (featuring music by Tracy Chapman), Brian Stokes Mitchell in his acclaimed solo show Love/Life at Lincoln Center, the smash hit revival of Guys and Dolls (also at Arena, which was selected by the Loesser estate to become a national tour celebrating the musical's 50th anniversary), the world premieres of Tough Titty by Oni Faida Lampley at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and Señor Discretion Himself, (winner of the Helen Hayes Award for Best Musical, the last musical written by Frank Loesser, based on a story by Budd Schulberg, and co-written with Culture Clash.)

Charles' writing credits include Blue, starring Phylicia Rashad, which broke box office records in its premiere at Arena Stage, the Roundabout Theatre, and the Pasadena Playhouse (also starring Diahann Carroll and Clifton Davis), and has had subsequent productions throughout the country. Charles also wrote Cuttin' Up (based upon the best selling book by Craig Marberry), which premiered at Arena Stage, followed by productions at the Pasadena Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse, and the Alliance Theater in Atlanta. His new play The Night is a Child premiered at Milwaukee Rep and Pasadena Playhouse (starring JoBeth Williams). Charles co-wrote and directed Me and Mrs. Jones (which starred Lou Rawls) at the Prince Music Theatre, The Diva Is Dismissed (starring Jenifer Lewis) at the NYSF Public Theater and the Hudson Theatre (LA), and Homework (starring Kim Coles) in NYC, Crossroads (NJ), and LA. Charles also co-wrote Just Between Friends starring Bea Arthur, which toured internationally, including a Tony nominated run on Broadway.

For film, Charles wrote and directed Mama, I Want to Sing (based on the renowned stage musical) starring Lynn Whitfield, Ciara, Patti LaBelle, Hill Harper, Billy Zane, and Ben Vereen. He also directed Preaching To The Choir, which swept the feature film prizes at the American Black Film Festival, was featured in numerous festivals (including the Pan African Film Fest, Cannes, and London) prior to its theatrical release. Charles has written screenplays for Showtime, HBO, Disney, Castle Rock, and Fox.

For television, Charles' credits include directing the series "Lincoln Heights" (ABC Family) and "South of Nowhere" (the N Network). Charles was a producer and writer of the critically acclaimed Showtime series "Linc's," and began his work in television providing musical staging for "The Golden Girls." Charles also directed the European "Freestyle" campaign for Nike, featuring the Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho, which won several international commercial awards.

A native of York, South Carolina, Charles is an honor graduate of Duke University where he was an A.B. Duke Scholar and a pre-med student. Charles serves on the Board of Directors of the Roundabout Theatre, the artistic board at Duke University, and is a founding member of the Wright Family Foundation of South Carolina. Charles established the workshop series "Different Voices" at the Roundabout and "Create Carolina," an arts festival in Carolina. Charles is also the recipient of three NAACP Image Awards, the Creative Spirit Award from the New Professional Theatre, an honorary MFA from ACT, the S.C. Medal of Honor in the Arts, grants from the NEA, Pew Charitable Trusts and TCG, and most recently became a resident playwright of the American Voices New Play Institute at Arena Stage. www.randolph-wright.com

Photo Credit: Peter James Zielinski