Photo Flash: First Look at Lauren Velez and More in Second Stage's THE HAPPIEST SONG PLAYS LAST

THE HAPPIEST SONG PLAYS LAST is the third in a cycle of plays that began with Hudes' Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue, a play about a young Marine coming to terms with his time in Iraq and his father's and grandfather's service in Vietnam and Korea. The second play in the trilogy, the 2012 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Water by the Spoonful, received its New York premiere at Second Stage Theatre in 2013. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

The production features ANTHONY CHISHOLM (Radio Golf, Jitney), DARIUSH KASHANI (Homebody/Kabul), TONY PLANA (Ugly Betty), ARMANDO RIESCO (2ST's Water by the Spoonful), ANNAPURNA SRIRAM (Pericles at Berkeley Rep), and LAUREN VÉLEZ (Showtime's Dexter).

THE HAPPIEST SONG PLAYS LAST will have scenic design by Michael Carnahan, costume design by Karen Perry, lighting design by Rui Rita, and sound design by Leon Rothenberg. The Music Director and composer is Nelson González. The production is sponsored by American Express, with additional generous support from The National Endowment for the Arts.

THE HAPPIEST SONG PLAYS LAST is about cousins Elliot and Yaz, having long searched for their place in the community, discover the joy in coming home again and the comfort of family, both by blood and by love. While Elliot gets a lucky break in the film business, Yaz takes on the role of familial and neighborhood matriarch, nourishing those who pass through her door. Beating to the sounds of traditional Puerto Rican folk music led by the Grammy-nominated Nelson González, The Happiest Song Plays Last invites you to spend a year with Elliot and Yaz on their journey to peace and purpose in an ever-changing world.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus