Broadway alums Carly Hughes and Michael Urie star in the February 27 live stream reading of Douglas Lyons’ Chicken and Biscuits from 59E59 Theaters. The play, a family comedy set at a funeral, debuted at Queens Theatre in March last year but was suspended due to COVID-19.
The live stream performance begins at 8 PM ET on 59e59.org with a recorded version of the event available to view on-demand through March 3. All proceeds will benefit The Next Wave Initiative (founded and led by Lyons), a new developmental branch of The Directors Company committed to amplifying future Black voices in the American theatre through scholarships and community engagement.
The full cast features Janet Hubert (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) as Baneatta, Urie as Logan, Hughes as Brianna, Devere Rogers as Kenny, and Danny Johnson as Reginald. Reprising their roles from the 2020 Queens Theatre production are Alana Raquel Bowers as Simone, Ebony Marshall-Oliver as Beverly, and Aigner Mizzelle as La’trice. Zhailon Levingston (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical) directs with Cody Renard Richard as stage manager.
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In Chicken and Biscuits, Baneatta and Beverly attempt to put their sisterly differences aside to bury their father, Bernard. All is well at the funeral until it’s revealed that Bernard had not just two daughters, but three.
