World Premiere of COVENANT to Open at Roundabout Underground Tomorrow

Roundabout Theatre Company will present the world premiere of Covenant by York Walker, directed by Tiffany Nichole Greene, which opens tomorrow, October 26.

 

The cast includes Crystal Dickinson as “Mama,” Chaundre Hall-Broomfield as “Johnny ‘Honeycomb’ James,” Ashley Hildreth as “Violet,” Jade Payton as “Avery,” and Lark White as “Ruthie.”

 

Covenant opens officially on Thursday, October 26, 2023, at the Black Box Theatre in the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre (111 West 46th Street). This is a limited engagement through Sunday, December 3, 2023. All tickets for Roundabout Underground productions are $30.

 

When a struggling guitarist returns to his small Georgia town a blues star, rumors begin swirling that he may have made a deal with the devil to attain his musical genius. Before long, however, it becomes clear he's not the only one with a secret. A mythic and suspenseful new play that delivers one devilish twist after another, York Walker's Covenant explores the power of belief and the thin line between rumor and truth.

 

A part of Roundabout’s New Play Initiative, Roundabout Underground is now in its 16th season. Its mission is focused on discovering new writers, producing their New York debuts, and providing them long-term development and production support. In addition to the Black Box production, every Underground playwright gets a commission for a future play.

 

The playwrights whose work has been featured as part of Roundabout Underground are Stephen Karam (Speech & Debate, 2007), Steven Levenson (The Language of Trees, 2008), Adam Gwon (Ordinary Days, 2009), Kim Rosenstock (Tigers Be Still, 2010), David West Read (The Dream of the Burning Boy, 2011), Andrew Hinderaker (Suicide, Incorporated, 2011), Joshua Harmon (Bad Jews, 2012), Meghan Kennedy (Too Much, Too Much, Too Many, 2013), Jeff Augustin (Little Children Dream of God, 2015), Lindsey Ferrentino (Ugly Lies the Bone, 2015), Jenny Rachel Weiner (Kingdom Come, 2016), Mansa Ra (Too Heavy for Your Pocket, 2017), Martín Zimmerman (On the Exhale, 2017), Ming Peiffer (Usual Girls, 2018), Alex Lubischer (Bobbie Clearly, 2018), Selina Fillinger (Something Clean, 2019), Daniel Zaitchik (Darling Grenadine, 2020), Sanaz Toossi (English, 2022), Dave Harris (Exception to the Rule, 2022), Harrison David Rivers (the bandaged place, 2022) and upcoming: York Walker (Covenant, 2023).

 

The creative team for Covenant includes: Lawrence Moten (Sets), Ari Fulton (Costumes), Cha See (Lighting), Justin Ellingston (Original Music & Sound), Steve Cuiffo (Illusions), and Stephen Buescher (Movement).

 

Roundabout Theatre Company gratefully acknowledges the Roundabout Leaders for New Works: Alec Baldwin, James Costa and John Archibald, Linda L. D’Onofrio, Peggy and Mark Ellis, Joele Frank and Larry Klurfeld, Carson Gleberman, Sylvia Golden, Jeanne Hagerty, Angelina Lippert, Iva Mills, K. Myers, Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater, Mary Solomon, and The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust.

 

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Covenant plays Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 7:30PM, Sunday evenings at 7:00pm, with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 1:30PM.

 

The Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre opened in March 2004 with an acclaimed premiere of Lynn Nottage’s Intimate Apparel starring Viola Davis, directed by Dan Sullivan. Since that landmark production, the center has expanded beyond the Laura Pels Theatre to include the Black Box Theatre and now a new education center. The Steinberg Center continues to reflect Roundabout’s commitment to produce new works by established and emerging writers as well as revivals of classic plays. This state-of-the-art off-Broadway theatre and education complex is made possible by a major gift from The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust. The Trust was created in 1986 by Harold Steinberg to promote and advance American Theatre as a vital part of our culture by supporting playwrights, encouraging the development and production of new work, and providing financial assistance to not-for-profit theatre companies across the country. Since its inception, the Trust has awarded over $70 million to more than 125 theatre organizations.

 

Roundabout Underground’s home is a 62-seat Black Box Theatre, which is also used year-round by Roundabout’s education department for its activities including student productions and professional development workshops.

 

Roundabout Theatre Company has been working to prioritize and actively incorporate anti-racism, equity, diversity, inclusion and accountability throughout the institution. Read more about the company’s social justice progress and timeline atwww.roundabouttheatre.org/socialjustice

 

Roundabout Theatre Company celebrates the power of theatre by spotlighting classics from the past, cultivating new works of the present, and educating minds for the future. A not-for-profit company, Roundabout fulfills that mission by producing familiar and lesser-known plays and musicals; discovering and supporting talented playwrights; reducing the barriers that can inhibit theatergoing; collaborating with a diverse team of artists; building educational experiences; and archiving over five decades of production history.

 

Roundabout Theatre Company presents a variety of plays and musicals on its five stages: Broadway’s American Airlines Theatre, Studio 54 and Stephen Sondheim Theatre, and Off-Broadway’s Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre, which houses the Laura Pels Theatre and Black Box Theatre.

 

American Airlines is the official airline of Roundabout Theatre Company. Roundabout productions are supported, in part, with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature.

 

Roundabout’s current & upcoming productions include: The Refuge Plays by Nathan Alan Davis, directed by Patricia McGregor;Covenant by York Walker, directed by Tiffany Nichole Greene; I Need That by Theresa Rebeck, directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel;Doubt: A Parable by John Patrick Shanley, directed by Scott Ellis; Home by Samm-Art Williams, directed by Kenny Leon; and Jonah by Rachel Bonds, directed by Danya Taymor.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!