New York Theatre Workshop Announces New Opening and Closing Dates for ON SUGARLAND

New York Theatre Workshop announced today that due to positive COVID tests in the company, all performances of On Sugarland by Obie Award winner Aleshea Harris (Is God Is, What to Send Up When It Goes Down) have been cancelled through Sunday February 20, 2022. Performances will resume Tuesday February 22.

Originally set to open Wednesday February 23 and run through Sunday March 13, On Sugarland will now open at New York Theatre Workshop (79 E 4th Street, New York, NY 10003) on Thursday March 3, for a run through Sunday March 20, 2022.

On Sugarland is directed by Obie Award winner, NYTW Usual Suspect & former 2050 Fellow Whitney White (Semblance, What to Send Up When It Goes Down) and choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly (Hurricane Diane, The House That Will Not Stand).

Sugarland is on precarious soil-three mobile homes line a southern cul-de-sac replete with years and years of decorative folk-art treasures and keepsakes. Young Sadie calls on generations of matriarchal ancestors to find the truth about her mother while the denizens of Sugarland rise each day to holler for the dead-conscripted soldiers lost to a greedy war-in a ritual reclamation of timeless grief.

This sweeping new work from Obie Award-winning playwright Aleshea Harris (Is God Is, What to Send Up When It Goes Down) is at once a spectacular pageant and spirited meditation on remarkable people transcending difficult circumstances. On Sugarland brings joyous life to communal healing with a glorious ensemble of 14 performers in a production directed by Obie Award winner, NYTW Usual Suspect & former 2050 Fellow Whitney White (Semblance, What to Send Up When It Goes Down) and choreographed by Raja Feather Kelly (Hurricane Diane, The House That Will Not Stand).

The cast of On Sugarland includes Stephanie Berry ("Fantasy Island") as Evelyn, Thomas Walter Booker ("Blue Bloods") as The Rowdy, Caleb Eberhardt (Choir Boy) as Addis, Xavier Scott Evans ("Love Life") as The Rowdy, Mister Fitzgerald ("The Blacklist") as The Rowdy, Josh Fulton (Everybody Black) as The Rowdy, Charisma Glasper ("Russian Doll") as The Rowdy, Kai Heath (Much Ado About Nothing) as The Rowdy, Shemar Yanick Jonas ("The Equalizer") as The Rowdy, Billy Eugene Jones (A Soldier's Play) as Saul, Kiki Layne (If Beale Street Could Talk) as Sadie, Mariyea (bloodymessysurprised) as The Rowdy, Lizan Mitchell (Cullad Wattah) as Tisha and Adeola Role ("Blue Bloods") as Odella.

On Sugarland features scenic design by Adam Rigg (The House That Will Not Stand), costume design by Qween Jean (The Amen Corner), lighting design by Amith Chandrashaker (The Drawer Boy) and sound design by Mikaal Sulaiman (Sanctuary City). Original music is by Starr Busby (9 Cups in the Moon), hair & wig design by Earon Nealey (cullud wattah), fight direction by UnkleDave's Fight-House (Girl from the North Country), and dramaturgy by Lauren Whitehead (Between the World and Me). Alfredo Macias (Trouble in Mind) serves as Stage Manager.

The performance schedule for On Sugarland is as follows: Tuesday-Thursday at 7pm; Friday at 8pm; Saturday at 2pm & 8pm; Sunday at 2pm & 7pm. Exceptions: there will be no performance Wednesday February 23 or Sunday March 13 at 7pm.

On Saturday February 26 at 8pm, NYTW will host a Black Theatre Night as part of their For the Culture Series of affinity events. For the Culture events previously scheduled for February 12, 15 and 17 will be rescheduled. Updates for the new event dates will be posted at nytw.org/for-the-culture.

Single tickets for On Sugarland start at $45 and vary by performance date and time. Tickets are available now at NYTW.org.

In order to provide access to those in their surrounding community and those with income limitations, NYTW launched CHEAPTIX, an affordable ticket program. At the first two performances of every NYTW production, tickets are sold to the general public for just $25. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis, online at NYTW.org or by phone from the NYTW Box Office at 212-460-5475. Standard ticketing fees apply.

Additionally, a $25 day-of CHEAPTIX RUSH will be available for young people, seniors, artists and Lower East Side residents. Rush tickets are subject to availability and are sold cash-only, limit two per person. Proper identification is required for all rush tickets. Youth (ages 25 and under) and seniors (ages 65+) may present an ID indicating date-of-birth; Artists may present an ID and a program or union card; Lower East Side residents may present an ID that includes your address.

NYTW has announced a new ticketing initiative for the 2021/22 season which will offer free tickets at all performances to members of our theatre community who lost work during the pandemic and may find cost a barrier to entry to attending shows and participating fully in the return to in-person performances.

A simple submission form will enable participants to select a free ticket from available locations via the NYTW ticketing system, just as they would if they were purchasing. A limited number of tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. While NYTW won't be able to accommodate every single person who would benefit from the opportunity, the theater hopes in some small way to be of service to the community as it continues to rebuild. For more information about the initiative, visit nytw.org/covid-ticket-initiative.

NYTW is committed to keeping the health and safety of its audiences, artists and staff a top priority. Everyone's experience and comfort level with the pandemic will look different and NYTW is committed to a whole person approach in safety-first customer service. Changes include updates to ventilation and air filtration systems, creation of a COVID Compliance Team, flexible exchange and past-date policies. Proof of vaccination and a photo ID will be required for all guests. A mask must be worn over the nose and mouth at all times inside the building and theatre. Cloth masks will no longer be accepted as an appropriate face covering. Acceptable face coverings include KN95s, N95s, KN94s, or surgical masks. If a guest does not have an approved mask, one will be provided free-of-charge at the point of entry.

For updated information about evolving COVID policies, please visit nytw.org/covid.

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