Exclusive: See the New Revealing Key Art for Liberation on Broadway | Playbill

Broadway News Exclusive: See the New Revealing Key Art for Liberation on Broadway

If you've seen the play, you'll know the reference.

Liberation is getting ready for its first preview on Broadway, and already, the new play by Bess Wohl is giving audiences a close look at its cast. The play has shared with Playbill, exclusively, its new key art. While you may think that the art is a reference to The Full Monty, it's actually showcasing a key moment in the show, where there is nudity.

Liberation takes place in a high school gymnasium in the 1970s, where a group of women meet weekly for what were called "consciousness raising" sessions—feminist discussions where they talked about their frustrations in life and at work. According to Wohl, at these real-life sessions, women would sometimes get naked in order to discuss their relationship to their bodies.

"The key art takes its cue from a scene in the play during which the women discuss what they love and don’t love about their bodies. In writing the scene, I relied on first-hand accounts by women who participated in the feminist movement of the 1970s, and whose courage to question, interrogate and be truthful about their relationship to their physical selves inspired me deeply," said Wohl. 

Learn more when Liberation begins performances October 8 at the James Earl Jones Theatre. Opening night is scheduled for October 28.

Company of Liberation Courtesy of Liberation

The play, which made its world premiere Off-Broadway via Roundabout Theatre Company earlier this year, is bringing its full original company to Broadway. The premiere production won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway play. The original Off-Broadway company was honored by both the Drama Desk and the NY Drama Critic’s Circle for Best Ensemble Performance. See what critics had to say about its Off-Broadway run here.

That company features Tony nominee Betsy Aidem (Prayer for the French Republic, Leopoldstadt) as Margie, Audrey Corsa (Poker Face, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) as Dora, Kayla Davion (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Waitress) as Joanne, Susannah Flood (Birthday Candles, The Cherry Orchard) as Lizzie, Kristolyn Lloyd (1776, Dear Evan Hansen) as Celeste, Irene Sofia Lucio (Slave Play, Wit) as Isidora, Charlie Thurston (Here There Are Blueberries, Wedge Horse) as Bill, and Adina Verson (Indecent, Only Murders in the Building) as Susan. The production understudies are LeeAnne Hutchison, Matthew Russell, and Kedren Spencer.

Whitney White (The Last Five Years) will again direct after staging the Off-Broadway run. 

The production will also have set design by three-time Tony winner David Zinn (Stereophonic, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Humans) with costume design by Drama Desk nominee Qween Jean (Cats: The Jellicle Ball), lighting design by Drama Desk nominee Cha See (Oh, Mary!, That Day in Amsterdam), sound design by two-time Tony nominee Palmer Hefferan (John Proctor is the Villain, The Skin of Our Teeth), and hair and wig design by Special Tony winner Nikiya Mathis (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, Purpose). The intimacy director is Kelsey Rainwater, the vocal and dialect coach is Gigi Buffington, and the production stage manager is Erin Gioia Albrecht.

Though it is the Roundabout production that is transferring to Broadway, the non-profit is not on the producing team, which includes Daryl Roth, Eva Price, Rachel Sussman, and Jenny Gersten.

Click here for tickets.

Photos: Rehearsals for Liberation on Broadway

 
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