"The Half-God of Rainfall - by Inua Ellams - American Repertory Theater (Cambridge, MA.)
American Repertory Theater
Presents Inua Ellams'
"THE HALF-GOD OF RAINFALL"
North American-Premiere Play!
Written by Inua Ellams
Directed by Taibi Magar
Movement Direction by Orlando Pabotoy
Produced in partnership with New York Theatre Workshop
Cast Includes: Jason Bowen as “Sàngó”; Kelley Curran as “Hera”; Mister Fitzgerald as “Demi”; Patrice Johnson Chevannes as “Osún”; Russell G. Jones as “Elegba” Michael Laurence as “Zeus”; Jennifer Mogbock as “Modúpé”
Additional Creative Team:
Scenic Design - Riccardo Hernández; Costume Design - Linda Cho; Lighting Design - Stacey Derosier; Sound Design - Mikaal Sulaiman; Projection Design - Tal Yarden; Orisha Movement Consulting/Choreography - Beatrice Capote; Intimacy Director - Ann James; Voice & Dialect Director - Dawn-Elin Fraser; Dramaturg - Iyvon E.; Production Stage Manager - Caroline Englander; Casting - The Telsey Office / Destiny Lilly, CSA
Performances:
September 8, 2023 through September 24, 2023
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
The American Repertory Theater at Harvard University (A.R.T.)
Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Four-play subscriptions are now on sale to A.R.T. supporters and will be available to renewing subscribers and the general public in June.
Visit AmericanRepertoryTheater.org/Subscribe for more information.
Throughout 2023/24, A.R.T. will:
- Partner with the Harvard Office for Gender Equity to be in dialogue around the themes of A.R.T.’S programming and evolve A.R.T.’s organizational culture;
- Continue to develop Essential Questions that will drive artistic exploration and audience engagement opportunities around each production;
- Continue to collaborate with Artists for Humanity, a Boston-based non-profit that provides teens the keys to self-sufficiency through paid employment in art and design, engaging AFH teens to create art inspired by the Essential Questions
- Offer the public opportunities to engage with new works in development, including an October reading of "The Odyssey" by Kate Hamill (Sense & Sensibility). Additional details will be announced in the coming weeks.
Additional programming and initiatives will be announced at a later date.
Season support is provided by Harvard University, The Barr Foundation, The Bob and Alison Murchison New Work Development Fund, The Shubert Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Barton & Guestier, and Meyer Sound.
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.
ABOUT THE SHOW
“THE HALF-GOD OF RAINFALL”
★★★★ “Striking.” — The Guardian
When Demi - half Greek god, half Nigerian mortal - takes his first shot on a basketball court, the deities of the land wake up.
But as Demi’s skills propel him from his village in South West Nigeria to the NBA playoffs and the London Olympics, Zeus gets jealous of his game.
From award-winning playwright and poet Inua Ellams ("Barber Shop Chronicles") comes the new epic “THE HALF-GOD OF RAINFALL” fusing Greek mythology and Yoruba spirituality, in which mothers, daughters, and goddesses rise up against the entitled lord of Mount Olympus.
“THE HALF-GOD OF RAINFALL” is produced in partnership with New York Theatre Workshop and is directed by Taibi Magar ("Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992"; "Macbeth In Stride"; "We Live in Cairo").
ABOUT THE AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER
MISSION
The American Repertory Theater at Harvard University is dedicated to expanding the boundaries of theater, always including the audience as a partner.
VISION
We focus on the research and development of groundbreaking theatrical experiences that catalyze dialogue and transformation. We believe that by engaging our hearts, minds, and bodies, theater has the power to heal and imagine collective pathways forward. We commit to advancing public health in our practice and our programming, recognizing that racism in America is a national public health crisis. Our new home in Allston will be a breathable and healthy building envisioned as a town hall for the twenty-first century. Inspired by the model of a teaching hospital, the building will be a vibrant center for research, experiential pedagogy, and performance. We build community with our audiences, artists, students, staff, and neighbors across Greater Boston, embracing theater’s power to cultivate the full breadth and beauty of our shared humanity. We affirm and celebrate a multitude of perspectives and experiences that reflect the diversity of our country and world. We are dedicated to making a welcoming and accessible space for people of any identity, background, or ability.
VALUES
We hold the institution and each other responsible and accountable for living our shared values. There is no hierarchy to these values; they are all equally important and interrelated. We acknowledge that as an institution we must devote time to implementing and sustaining these values:
We center anti-racism
Habituate anti-racist practices in our policies, structure, and culture
We lead with inquiry
Ask questions in a spirit of brave curiosity in our never-ending journey of learning and growth
We believe in collaboration
Work together with trust and respect to unlock collective creativity
We practice adaptability
Challenge assumptions and create capacity to support “next” practices
We embrace regenerative practice
Promote the health and vitality of our planet, our organization, and each other
