Invitation Theater Company to Stage Reading of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ EVERYBODY at Gibney Dance
The staged reading, directed by Justin Cimino, will take place at Gibney Dance, 53A Chambers St., on October 4, 2025 at 7:30 p.m.
By: A.A. Cristi Sep. 23, 2025
Invitation Theater Company will stage a reading of Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins’ Everybody on Saturday, October 4, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. at Gibney Dance, 53A Chambers Street.
Directed by Justin Cimino and featuring a dynamic ensemble cast, the event invites audiences to experience Jacobs-Jenkins’ modern adaptation of the 15th-century morality play Everyman. Admission is by suggested donation of $20, with RSVPs encouraged at the link provided.
Everybody retains the classic morality play’s core structure while reframing its questions for a contemporary audience. In the play, God commands Death to summon “Everybody” to the afterlife, prompting encounters with personified concepts including Friendship, Family, Stuff, Love, Understanding, and the four virtues—Strength, Beauty, Mind, and Senses. Through sharp humor and existential reflection, the piece explores humanity’s enduring struggle with mortality and meaning.
The cast includes Jacqueline DeHart as Everybody, Celestine Rae as Usher/Understanding, Carrie A. Fleming as Death, Onye Eme-Akwari as Strength/Friendship, Alec Dahmer as Senses/Stuff, Fernanda Sumita as Girl/Time, Kakra Nunoo-Brown as Beauty/Cousin, Kathiana Joy Casimir as Mind/Kinship, and Finn Haney as Love. Director Justin Cimino brings extensive experience with contemporary works, having staged plays by Clare Barron, Aaron Posner, Antoinette Nwandu, and Katori Hall across a range of New York venues.
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