Cast Set For MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM at Round House Theatre

 Round House Theatre and Olney Theatre Center will continue their partnership with a co-production of August Wilson's  Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Directed by Helen Hayes Award winner Lili-Anne Brown (FELA!, also co-produced by Round House and Olney), the story is widely regarded as one of Wilson's most searing and enduring plays. The production runs September 9–October 11, 2026, at Round House Theatre, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in the 2026-2027 season. 

Featuring Nicole Michelle Haskins in the title role, alongside Ro Boddie, Zach Brewster-Geisz, Chris Genebach, Yao Dogbe, Michael Glenn, Jaylen Henderson, Derrick Truby, Craig Wallace, and Kanysha Williams, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is set in a Chicago recording studio in 1927 and follows the legendary "Mother of the Blues" and her band through a single, tension-filled afternoon. As musicians clash over ambition, artistry, race, and power, Wilson's electrifying dialogue builds toward a devastating conclusion that remains as urgent today as when the play premiered in 1984. Filled with rousing blues music, sharp humor, and profound humanity, the play examines the exploitation of Black artists while celebrating the resilience and transformative power of their art. 

"There's a well-worn phrase in Black culture: 'they want our rhythm, but not our blues.'  Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is an elegant exploration of this sentiment,” says director Lili-Anne Brown. "Wilson's writing is musical, deeply human and painfully relevant. It asks us to interrogate who gets valued, who gets to profit, and what is lost when dreams are repeatedly deferred. Directing this play at Round House is an opportunity to honor the legacy of so many iconic yet unsung creators of American music, while inviting audiences into a conversation that remains urgently important today."

The cast is joined by a dynamic creative team that includes: Music Director Cedric D. Lyles, Scenic Designer Arnel Sancianco, Costume Designer Samantha Jones, Lighting Designer Minjoo Kim, Sound Designer Kevin Lee Alexander, Associate Sound Designer Delaney Bray, Wigs and Makeup Designer LaShawn Melton, Dramaturg Naysan Mojgani, Associate Director and Intimacy/Fight Director Gregory Geffrard, Associate Lighting Designer Lily Tomasic, Stage Manager Che Wernsman, Assistant Stage Manager JuanCarlos Contreras, and Production Assistants Kennedi Hendrix and Peri Walker.

”Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is one of the most important and enduring works in the American theatrical canon and Wilson's work has been central to Round House's artistic identity for decades, with acclaimed productions of Two Trains Running, Gem of the Ocean, and the autobiographical How I Learned What I Learned, as well as our 2023 production of Radio Golf,” says Ryan Rilette, Artistic Director of Round House Theatre. “Opening Round House Theatre's 50th Anniversary Season with Ma Rainey celebrates five decades of bold storytelling, and we're thrilled to continue our collaboration with Olney Theatre Center, who have been such wonderful partners over the years.” 

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