Laila Robins Replaces Kate Burton in SEJANUS, HIS FALL

Today, Red Bull Theater announced that Laila Robins will join the cast of the first public presentation of a new dramatization of Ben Jonson's Sejanus, His Fall, adapted and directed by Nathan Winkelstein, Red Bull's Associate Artistic Director. Ms Robins replaces the previously announced Kate Burton, who withdrew due to a scheduling conflict.

Laila Robins's Broadway credits include Heartbreak House, Frozen (Lucille Lortel nomination), The Real Thing, The Herbal Bed. Off-Broadway: The Dance of Death (Red Bull), The Apple Family Plays (Drama Desk Award, OBIE Award), Lady From Dubuque (Outer Critics Circle nom., Richard Seff Award), Mrs. Klein (Jefferson Award and Helen Hayes nom.), A Midsummer Night's Dream (The Public's Shakespeare in the Park), Antony and Cleopatra, Sore Throats (Lortel nom.), Tiny Alice, Merchant of Venice (Calloway Award). Regional: A Streetcar Named Desire (Steppenwolf, Jefferson Award), productions at the Guthrie, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, McCarter, George Street, Williamstown, Barrington Stage. Film/TV: The Good Shepherd, Side Effects, An Innocent Man, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, soon to be released A Call To Spy, The Rest of Us, "The Boys," "The Blacklist," "The Bold Type," "The Handmaid's Tale," "Deception," "Homeland," "Bull," "New Amsterdam," "In Treatment," "Bored To Death," "Sopranos." "Too Big To Fail." MFA: Yale Drama School.

First performed in 1603, the start of the Jacobean era, Ben Jonson's tragedy of epic proportions is an incisive portrayal of political cronyism, sycophancy, and power. Tiberius is the Emperor of Rome. Sejanus is his right-hand man. But-in a society where books are burnt, "knowledge is made a capital offense," and free men have become "the prey of greedy vultures and spies"-factions are forming behind each of these charismatic leaders. Jonson's linguistically rich play has startling significance today in its exploration of treason and totalitarian tyranny. Sejanus sets his sights on Emperorship. No one can stop him. His fall is inevitable.

Sejanus, His Fall will also feature Shirine Babb (Broadway: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Macbeth; Timon of Athens - RSC/TFANA, The Crucible - Bedlam); Grantham Coleman (B'WAY: The Great Society - LCT; Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It - Public Theater/Shakespeare in the Park; Choir Boy - MTC); Keith David (B'way: Hot Feet, Seven Guitars, Hedda Gabler, Jelly's Last Jam; A Midsummer Night's Dream, Titus Andronicus, The Pirates of Penzance, Othello - Public Theater/Shakespeare in the Park); Manoel Felciano (B'WAY: To Kill a Mockingbird, Amélie, Sweeney Todd - Tony Award nomination, Brooklyn The Musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cabaret; The Changeling - Red Bull Theater); Denis O'Hare (Tartuffe - National Theatre of Great Britain; B'WAY: Assassins - Tony Award nomination, Elling, Inherit the Wind, Sweet Charity, Take Me Out- Tony Award nomination, Major Barbara, Cabaret, Racing Demon; Into the Woods - Public Theater/Shakespeare in the Park); Matthew Rauch (B'WAY: The Great Society, Junk, Prelude to a Kiss, The Merchant of Venice; The Merchant of Venice, The Winter's Tale - Public Theater/Shakespeare in the Park; Expats, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - The New Group; The Duchess of Malfi, Edward II, The Revenger's Tragedy - Red Bull Theater); Liv Rooth (B'WAY: To Kill a Mockingbird, Born Yesterday; Blood and Gifts - Lincoln Center Theater; Wife to James Whelan - Mint Theater; Women Beware Women - Red Bull Theater), Stephen Spinella (B'WAY: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Love! Valour! Compassion!, Angels in America - 2 Tony Awards, A View from the Bridge, Spring Awakening, James Joyce's The Dead - Tony Award nomination, Electra, The Velocity of Autumn; The Government Inspector, Volpone, Coriolanus - Red Bull Theater); Emily Swallow (B'WAY: High Fidelity; Romantic Poetry - Manhattan Theatre Club, The Black Eyed - New York Theatre Workshop, Much Ado About Nothing, Measure for Pleasure - Public Theater); Raphael Nash Thompson (The Red Letter Plays: f-ing A - Signature Theatre; Heartbreak House - Gingold Theatrical; Pericles, The Merchant of Venice - TFANA; The Witch of Edmonton, Edward II, Volpone, Pericles - Red Bull Theater), Tamara Tunie (B'WAY: Julius Caesar with Denzel Washington, Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music, Oh Kay! with Brian Stokes Mitchell, Troilus and Cressida - Public Theater/Shakespeare in the Park; Familiar - Obie Award/Playwright's Horizons; Fences - Kennedy Center; "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" - 18 seasons); and James Udom (The Rolling Stone - LCT3, Mies Julie - CSC, Tamburlaine - TFANA).

This event is a benefit for Red Bull Theater. Tickets are Pay What You Can. Advance reservations are recommended. Sejanus His Fall will premiere LIVE on Monday, May 17th. A recording of that livestream will be available until 7:00 PM EDT on Friday, May 21 - then it disappears.

Since the start of the pandemic, Red Bull Theater has pivoted to free online offerings including livestreamed Benefit Readings and RemarkaBULL Podversations. These online projects cannot replace the live theater experience. There is simply no replacement for live theater. But, through these efforts Red Bull Theater strives to keep its community together and serve its mission to revitalize the classics until we can all gather safely once again to share in the singular Red Bull experience.

For more information visit www.redbulltheater.com.

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