Public's FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PTS 1, 8, 9) Ends 2009 Lab Series 6/28

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) will conclude its 2009 Public LAB series on Sunday, June 28 with the world premiere of FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PARTS 1, 8 & 9) by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks. Directed by Jo Bonney, all tickets for FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PARTS 1, 8 & 9) are $10.

In FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PARTS 1, 8 & 9), Parks takes the stage to play the role of our guide leading through a multimedia epic tale about slavery, war, freedom, and the difficulty of family ties. Part I tells the story of Penny, a slave, awaiting her husband's return from the Civil War while resisting her own desire to flee with a band of runaway slaves. Parts 8 & 9, set in present day, follow a Poet-General struggling with the reality of his impending death while he plans his annual celebration for the army troops.

The cast for FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PARTS 1, 8 & 9) features Nicole Beharie, Seth Gilliam, Patrice Johnson, James McDaniel, Joan MacIntosh, Kellie Overbey, Lucas Papaelias, Frederick Weller, and in a rare stage appearance, Suzan-Lori Parks.

FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PARTS 1, 8 & 9) features scenic design by Neil Patel, costume design by Emilio Sosa, lighting design by Lap Chi Chu, sound design by Dan Moses Schreier, and video design by Shawn Sagady.

Public LAB is an annual series of new plays that lets New Yorkers see more of the work they love from The Public and LAByrinth Theater Company in stripped-down productions. Public LAB allows The Public Theater to support more artists, and gives audiences immediate access to new plays.

FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PARTS 1, 8 & 9) began performances on Friday, June 5 and runs through Sunday, June 28. The performance schedule is Tuesdays at 7; Wednesdays through Fridays at 8 PM; Saturdays at 2 PM and 8 PM; and Sundays at 2 PM and 7 PM. There will be no performance on Thursday, June 25 and a special added performance on Monday, June 22 at 8 p.m.

The Public Theater is located at 425 Lafayette Street. All tickets are $10 and can be purchased at (212) 967-7555 or by visiting www.publictheater.org.