Performances will take place on October 22 and 29.
PrideArts Artistic Director Donterrio Johnson today announced casting for the second entry in the company's four - show virtual fall season called REIGNITE! Johnson will direct the hilarious comedy BOX AND COX by John Maddison Morton, a loosely staged production to be recorded live in the Pride Arts Center's Buena Theatre. The recorded performance will be presented online two nights only - on Thursdays, October 22 and 29, at 7:00 pm each night.
The cast of three will include Shalita Cake, known as "the happiest drag queen in Chicago," as Mrs. Bouncer, the landlady who rents a room to two men, with neither of them knowing the existence of their "roommate." Cake has been seen performing all over town, but mainly at Jackhammer on Monday nights in Chicago's Best Worst drag show. John Marshall Jr. a Jeff award nominee for PrideArts' YANK! A WWII LOVE STORY. will play John Box. Marshall is a veteran of productions with Porchlight Music Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Marriott Theatre, Paramount Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre, and Theatre at the Centre. The role of James Cox will be taken by Eustace J. Williams, who made his Chicago debut in Porchlight Music Theatre's critically acclaimed production of Duke Ellington'S SOPHISTICATED LADIES.Before BOX & COX, the REIGNITE series will begin on September 30 with CLOSET PLAY: A BENEFIT CONCERT. The program will intertwine original jazz compositions with poetry by two of America's most prolific queer voices - James Baldwin and Tennessee Williams - with an original jazz score. CLOSET PLAY's cast will include Broadway's Gerry McIntyre along with Trenton Baker, Jos N. Banks, Christian Bufford, Robbin DaSilva, Ryan Lanning, Kimberly Lawson, David Robbins, Tiffany T. Taylor, Koray Tarhan, WIll Wilhelm, Jasmine Lacy Young, Joey Stone, Ricki J Pettinato, and Eustace J. Williams. CLOSET PLAY will premiere September 30, 2020, broadcasting from the Pride Arts Center's Buena Theatre at 7:00 pm on Facebook and YouTube; and available to stream thereafter. Links will be posted on the PrideArts Facebook page (www.facebook.com/pridefilmsandplays) and website (www.pridearts.org). There is no charge to view CLOSET PLAY, but donations will be gladly accepted.
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