MEMNON Revealed As The Classical Theatre Of Harlem 2025 Uptown Shakespeare In The Park Production

The Classical Theatre of Harlem has announced that MEMNON will take center stage as the 2025 Uptown Shakespeare in the Park production, bringing a lost epic to New York audiences for the first time.

Following a triumphant debut at The Getty Villa in Los Angeles, Memnon will make its East Coast Premiere in Harlem's Marcus Garvey Park from July 5 – 27, 2025.

This production, written by Will Power, conceived by Carl Cofield and Will Power, directed by Carl Cofield and choreographed by Tiffany Rea-Fisher, reclaims the powerful story of Ethiopia's legendary warrior-king, a long-overlooked figure of the Trojan War. With a cast of acclaimed actors and stunning stagecraft,

Memnon will be a must-see theatrical event that continues CTH's tradition of reimagining the classics through a contemporary lens. RSVPs can be made at cthnyc.org later this month, but the production is free and walk-in guests are welcome. 

The MEMNON cast includes Eric Berryman in the title role of Memnon (the King of Ethiopia), Andrea Patterson as Helen (Queen of Sparta, now of Troy), Jesse J. Perez as Priam (The King of Troy) and Nestor (a Greek warrior), David Darrow as Polydamas (advisor of Troy) and Antilochus (son of Nestor/Fight Captain), and Jesse Corbin as Achilles (the Great Warrior). Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

Ahead of MEMNON's full production, CTH will host an exclusive panel discussion and soft premiere on April 28, 2025, featuring excerpts from the production and insights from its creative team. This event is part of CTH's Future Classics Literary Series and will take place at Harlem Stage (150 Convent Ave, New York, NY). The discussion will be moderated by award-winning cultural critic and journalist, Soraya Nadia McDonald. As senior critic for Andscape (formerly known as The Undefeated), she won the George Jean Nathan prize for dramatic criticism and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism. She is an adjunct professor at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. You may recognize her voice from NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour or Fresh Air with Terry Gross. She is a contributing editor for Film Comment and contributes to Rolling Stone, Glamour, Harper's Bazaar, and New York. McDonald will be joined by the following members of the CTH team for the discussion: 

• Soraya Nadia McDonald (Critic and Journalist)

• Carl Cofield (Director, CTH's Memnon)

• Will Power (Playwright, CTH's Memnon)

This preview event will offer audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the making of MEMNON and its profound themes of mythology, resilience, and Black identity. An excerpt from the production will also be performed following the panel. RSVPs can be made here.

CTH's 2025 season will continue its commitment to championing artists of color and engaging Harlem audiences with powerful storytelling. “As we close out our 25th anniversary season dedicated to Andre Braugher, we honor the past, celebrate the present, and inspire the future of theatre,” says Ty Jones, Producing Artistic Director of The Classical Theatre of Harlem. “From MEMNON's East Coast debut to our beloved concert and literary series, we can't wait to share this incredible year with our audiences.”