Pulitzer Prize-Winner THE HOT WING KING To Begin At Writers Theatre In June

Writers Theatre concludes its 2023/24 Season with The Hot Wing King, written by Katori Hall, and directed by Lili-Anne Brown. The Hot Wing King will be presented June 20 – July 21, 2024 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe.

Lili-Anne Brown, a Chicago native and a veteran of stages in Chicago and across the country, comes to Writers to direct this hot, new play, winner of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Drama by celebrated writer Katori Hall (The Mountaintop, P-Valley, Broadway’s Tina: The Tina Turner Musical).  

When it comes to wings, Cordell is king! Supported by his beau Dwayne and the best friends who serve as his fry crew, the group embarks on a fun night of pre-competition prep for Memphis’s annual hot wing festival. But when Dwayne’s troubled nephew unexpectedly needs a place to stay, it quickly becomes a recipe for disaster. Winner of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, The Hot Wing King is a fierce comedy about the risks and rewards of celebrating who you are. 

“We are excited to conclude our season with The Hot Wing King; a hilarious and moving play centered on love and cooking while exploring the challenges of partnership and fatherhood,” comments Braden Abraham. “Katori Hall is writing at the top of her game. This play’s themes, its American regionalism, and the dynamic relationships between her characters will endear itself to audiences like a good family recipe.” 

The cast includes: Breon Arzell (Cordell), Jos N. Banks (Dwayne), Joseph Anthony Byrd (Isom), Thee Ricky Harris (Big Charles), Jabari Khaliq (Everett), and Kevin Tre'von Patterson (TJ). The understudies are Jonathan Allsop, Darryl D’Angelo Jones, Donovan Session, and Jarred Webb. 

The creative team includes: Lili-Anne Brown (Director), Lauren M. Nichols (Scenic Designer), Yvonne Miranda (Costume Designer), Jason Lynch (Lighting Designer), Willow James (Sound Designer), Dee Etti-Williams (Assistant Sound Designer), Greg Geffrard (Intimacy Director), Christopher Berry (Voice and Dialect), and Tor Campbell (Associate Director). The stage manager is Katie Klemme and the assistant stage manager is Imani Ross. 

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