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Photos: Go Inside Opening Night of THE HARDER THEY COME At The Public Theater

The Harder They Come, an adaptation of the classic Jamaican film, is now playing through April 9 at The Public Theater. 

The world premiere musical The Harder They Come, an adaptation of the classic Jamaican film, is now playing through April 9 at The Public Theater.

Check out photos from opening night below!

Fifty years after the film premiered in New York City, the musical features a book and additional new songs by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks, songs by legendary musician Jimmy Cliff, music supervision, orchestrations, and arrangements by Kenny Seymour, choreography by Edgar Godineaux, co-direction by Tony Award winner Sergio Trujillo, and direction by Tony Award nominee Tony Taccone. The production began performances in the Newman Theater on Thursday, February 16 and officially opens on Wednesday, March 15.

The complete cast of THE HARDER THEY COME includes Jeannette Bayardelle (Daisy), Shawn Bowers (Ensemble), J. Bernard Calloway (Preacher), Andrew Clarke (Lyle), Eean Sherrod Cochran (Understudy), Tyla Collier (Understudy), Jamal Christopher Douglas (Ensemble), Tiffany Francès (Understudy), Garfield Hammonds (Understudy), Dana Marie Ingraham (Ensemble), Dominique Johnson (Jose), Chelsea-Ann Jones (Ensemble), Natey Jones (Ivan), Dudney Joseph Jr (Ray), Dwight Xaveir Leslie (Understudy), Morgan McGhee (Ensemble), Meecah (Elsa), Jacob Ming-Trent (Pedro), Alysha Morgan (Ensemble), Ken Robinson (Hilton), Housso Semon (Ensemble), Denver Andre Taylor (Understudy), Sir Brock Warren (Ensemble), Carla Woods (Understudy), and Christopher Henry Young (Ensemble).

The breakthrough film, produced and directed by Perry Henzell and co-written with Trevor Rhone, tells the story of Ivan, a young singer who arrives in Kingston, Jamaica, eager to become a star. After falling in love and cutting a record deal with a powerful music mogul, Ivan soon learns that the game is rigged, and as he becomes increasingly defiant, he finds himself in a battle that threatens not only his life, but the very fabric of Jamaican society.

The Harder They Come
The Henzell family

The Harder They Come
Luis Miranda

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Luis Miranda

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Wendell Pierce

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Wendell Pierce

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Marielle Heller, Jorma Taccone

The Harder They Come
Marielle Heller, Jorma Taccone

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LA Williams

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LA Williams

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Ato Blankson-Wood

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Ato Blankson-Wood

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Dwight Xaveir Leslie

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Dwight Xaveir Leslie

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Diggle, Japhy Weideman

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Diggle, Japhy Weideman

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Sergio Trujillo, Jack Noseworthy, Luis Salgado

The Harder They Come
Sergio Trujillo, Jack Noseworthy, Luis Salgado

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Sergio Trujillo, Tony Taccone

The Harder They Come
Sergio Trujillo, Tony Taccone

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Kenny Seymour

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Kenny Seymour

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Daniel J. Watts

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Daniel J. Watts

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Tony Taccone, Sergio Trujillo, Suzan-Lori Parks, Kenny Seymour

The Harder They Come
Tony Taccone, Sergio Trujillo, Justine Henzell, Suzan-Lori Parks, Kenny Seymour

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Suzan-Lori Parks, Sterling K. Brown

The Harder They Come
Suzan-Lori Parks, Sterling K. Brown

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Suzan-Lori Parks, Sterling K. Brown

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Sterling K. Brown

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Sterling K. Brown

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Aisha Jackson

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Aisha Jackson

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Patricia McGregor, Freedome Bradley-Ballentine

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Patricia McGregor, Freedome Bradley-Ballentine

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Suzan-Lori Parks, Freedome Bradley-Ballentine, Amrita Ramanan, Garlia Cornelia Jones, Kwame Dawes, Justine Henzell

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Christina Sajous

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Christina Sajous

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Eean Sherrod Cochran

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Eean Sherrod Cochran

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Carla Woods

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Carla Woods

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Jamal Christopher Douglas

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Jamal Christopher Douglas

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Shawn Bowers

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Shawn Bowers

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Christopher Henry Young

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Christopher Henry Young

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Earon Chew Nealey

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Earon Chew Nealey

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Heather Alicia Simms

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Heather Alicia Simms

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Dudney Joseph, Jr.

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Dudney Joseph, Jr.

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Brenda Braxton

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Brenda Braxton

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Denver Andre Taylor

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Denver Andre Taylor

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Garfield Hammonds

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Garfield Hammonds

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Tyla Collier

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Tyla Collier

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Sterling K. Brown, J. Bernard Calloway, Wendell Pierce

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Suzan-Lori Parks, Sterling K. Brown, J. Bernard Calloway, Wendell Pierce

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Tiffany Frances

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Tiffany Frances

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Andrew Clarke

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Andrew Clarke

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Dominique Johnson

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Dominique Johnson

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Dana Marie Ingraham

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Dana Marie Ingraham

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Lizzie Mason

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Lizzie Mason

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Jeannette Bayardelle

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Jeannette Bayardelle

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Natey Jones

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Natey Jones

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Jaylen Petinaud

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Jaylen Petinaud

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John Bronston

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John Bronston

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Erika R. Gamez

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Erika R. Gamez

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Sir Brock Warren

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Sir Brock Warren

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Meecah

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Meecah

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Emilia Lirman

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Emilia Lirman

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Edgar Godineaux

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Edgar Godineaux

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Housso Semon

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Housso Semon

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Morgan McGhee

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Morgan McGhee

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Alysha Morgan

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Alysha Morgan

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Lizzie Mason, Edgar Godineaux

The Harder They Come
Carmen Ruby Floyd, J. Bernard Calloway

The Harder They Come
Carmen Ruby Floyd, J. Bernard Calloway

The Harder They Come
Chelsea-Ann Jones

The Harder They Come
Chelsea-Ann Jones



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Review Roundup: Suzan-Lori Parks THE HARDER THEY COME Opens At The Public Theater Photo
The world premiere musical The Harder They Come, an adaptation of the classic Jamaican film, is now playing through Sunday, April 2 at The Public Theater. Read the reviews!

Photos: First Look at THE HARDER THEY COME at The Public Theater Photo
Get a first look at photos of The Harder They Come at The Public Theater!

THE HARDER THEY COME Extends Through Early April at The Public Photo
The world premiere musical THE HARDER THEY COME, an adaptation of the classic Jamaican film, has extended through Sunday, April 2 at The Public Theater. 

VIDEO: Go Inside THE HARDER THEY COME Sitzprobe at The Public Theater Photo
Watch clips from the sitzprobe of Suzan Lori-Parks's THE HARDER THEY COME at The Public Theater!


From This Author - Jennifer Broski

 

Born and raised in Maine, she’s now on her second—and longer—stint as a Manhattanite. She’s worn many hats (writer, bookseller, merch girl, and more), but this ... (read more about this author)


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