Performances begin January 16 at the Cherry Lane Theatre for the Off-Broadway premiere of Leah Nanako Winkler's God Said This, directed by Morgan Gould. The play, which won the 2018 Yale Drama Series Prize and had its world premiere last year at the Humana Festival, follows Hiro, a New Yorker returning to Kentucky after five years away.
Satomi Blair, who starred in the Off-Broadway production of Kentucky—Winkler's companion play to God Said This—once again plays the central role of Hiro. Completing the cast are Ako (Sayonara), Tom Coiner (The Night Of), Emma Kikue (The Sinner), and Jay Patterson (Inherit the Wind).
God Said This paints a portrait of five Kentuckians facing mortality in very different ways. With her mom undergoing chemotherapy, Hiro returns home, struggling to let go of the demons she inherited. Sophie, her born-again Christian sister, confronts her faith while tackling inevitable adversity. James, their recovering alcoholic father, wants to repair his fractured relationship with his daughters. And, John, an old classmate and thirty-something single dad, worries about leaving a lasting legacy for his only son.
God Said This will officially open January 29 for a run through February 15.
The production features scenic design by Arnulfo Maldonado, costume design by Jessica Pabst, lighting design by Ryan Seelig, and sound design by M.L. Dogg.
To coincide with God Said This, Primary Stages will also host two free read-a-long presentations of Winkler's Kentucky featuring a group of actors as well as participants from the audience who will read the show aloud together. The readings will be held at Primary Stages (307 W. 38th Street, Suite 1510) in Studio A on January 24 at 5 PM and January 27 at noon. They are free and open to the public; click here to reserve.
