Photo Flash: First Look at Tonya Pinkins in THE FABULOUS MISS MARIE, Opening Tonight Off-Broadway

Woodie King Jr's New Federal Theatre continues its 44th season with the second play of "The Ed Bullins Project" dedicated to the pioneer of the Black Arts Movement and one of America's most important and influential playwrights: The Fabulous Miss Marie, first produced in 1971 at the New Lafayette Theatre in Harlem, opens tonight, Thursday May 1st and continues through May 18th. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at the cast in action!

Woodie King Jr directs a cast that features Tony and Drama Desk Award winner Tonya Pinkins and Roscoe Orman ("Sesame Street") along with Toccarra Cash, Michael Chenevert, Ugo Chukwu, Aaliyah Habeeb, Beethovan Oden, G. Alverez Reid, Ashley C. Turner, and Brittany N. Williams.

Set during a three-day holiday party at the home of Marie Horton in the Wilshire section of Los Angles in the early 1960s, it takes place against the backdrop of the Civil Right Movement and on the eve of the Watts Rebellion. Most of the play's middle class characters, however, are distant from those upheavals; instead they drink, flirt, quarrel and reminisce as they hope their lives in the emerging Black middle class can shield them against the painful legacy of slavery and racism in America. Performances are Thursday and Friday evenings at 7:30 PM, Saturday at 2 PM and 7:30 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM. Tickets are $25 and can be ordered through www.castillo.org or by phone at 212/941-5800.

Photos by Gerry Goodstein

Roscoe Orman & Brittnay N Williams

G. Alverez Reid & Roscoe Orman

Tonya Pinkins & Roscoe Orman

Tonya Pinkins & Roscoe Orman

Ashley Turner & Tonya Pinkins

Ugo Chukwu & Michael Chenevert