Photo Flash: First Look at New Play FERGUSON, Opening Tonight in NYC

Theatre Verite Collective presents the world premiere of one of the most controversial plays in recent years, the World Premiere of Phelim McAleer's FERGUSON, directed by Jerry Dixon at the 30th Street Theatre (259 W 30 Street). The strictly limited run opens tonight, October 23, for a run through November 5, 2017.

Phelim McAleer's FERGUSON, recreates the evidence and tells the shocking truth about what really happened on August 9, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. This play is a staged version of the Grand Jury testimony exactly as it was heard it in the courtroom. FERGUSON doesn't present an agendA. Ferguson presents the exact testimony and asks the audiences to decide for themselves. No spin. No media filter. No fake news. Just the testimony presented during the hearing to the jury.

A staged reading of this play was presented in 2015 in Los Angeles, during that workshop, nine members of the cast walked out of the staged reading complaining about the script (Actors quit L.A. 'Ferguson' play, question writer's motives - LA Times) - even though it was based on unchanged eyewitness testimony of those who actually saw the shooting of Michael Brown. Despite the cast walkouts and controversy swirling around the LA staged reading - it receivEd Strong positive response - with some critics saying it was revitalizing theater in the city.

The cast includes Cedric Benjamin (TV: Marvel's "Luke Cage") asDoRian Johnson, Kim Brockington (Amazon's "Asunder", "The Guiding Light". Stage: ZORA) asSheila Whirley, Paul DeBoy (Broadway: Mamma Mia!, TV: " Blacklist" ) as Bob McCullough, Ian Campbell Dunn (TV: "The Blacklist". NY: Basement) asDarren Wilson, Chaundre Hall-Broomfield (LCT'sPipeline) asMark Williams, Sarah Nedwek (NY: Delores. Film: The Union) asKathi Alizadeh, Geoffrey Dawe (Broadway: Summer and Smoke. TV: "Bull," "House of Cards"), LaVonda Elam (Stage: Singin' Wid A Sword in my Han'), Jonathan Miles (NY: Incident at Hidden Temple. TV: "Momsters"), Ben Prayz (Regional: Tsunami. NY: The Last Days of Judas Iscariot), Kevin Sims (National Tour: Disney's The Lion King), Carol Todd (NY: Jericho. TV: "I Loved You, But I Lied"), Renika Williams (NY: Sweet. Regional: A Raisin In The Sun). The creative team includes Jason Simms (Set Designer), Charlotte Seelig (Lighting Designer), Martín Lara Avila (Costume Designer), Jeremy Earhart (Sound Designer/Composer), Trevor "TK"Kuprel (Sound Designer/Composer), Caroline M. Trewet (Video/Projections Designer), Bob Brownell (Production Stage Manager), Michael Cassara (Casting Director), Cesa Entertainment (General Manager), Theatre Planners/ Racquel Lehrman (Producer)

Michael Brown's shooting by police officer Darren Wilson was one of the most controversial police shootings in recent years and led to the founding of the Black Lives Matter movement after claims he was shot in cold blood surrendering with his hands up pleading not to be shot. However, a racially mixed Grand Jury voted not to indict Wilson based on the swore testimony of eyewitnesses. These eyewitness accounts did not align with the depiction of the shooting sited by activists and various media outlets reporting on the events.

For more information, visit www.fergusontheplay.com.

Photo Credit: Clay Anderson