Casting is set for The Public Theater's world premiere of Public Charge, a new play, based on true events, written by former U.S. Ambassador Julissa Reynoso and playwright Michael J. Chepiga.
Directed by Tony winner Doug Hughes, performances in the Public's Newman Theater will begin March 12 with a Joseph Papp Free Performance prior to an official opening March 25. The limited engagement is currently scheduled through April 5.
The cast of the new play—described as a "first-hand account of the principled use of power"—will feature Marinda Anderson as Cheryl Mills, Maggie Bofill as Josefina Vidal/Others, John J. Concado as Consular Officer 1/Others, Dan Domingues as Ricardo Zuniga, Zabryna Guevara as Julissa Reynoso, Armando Riesco as Bruno Rodriguez/Others, Al Rodrigo as Bolanos/Mujica/Others, and Barbara Walsh as Judy Gross plus understudies Nate Betancourt, Yesenia Iglesias, Paco Lozano, and Nairoby Otero.
Public Charge concerns Julissa, who immigrated to the U.S from the Dominican Republic in 1982 at the age of seven. In 2009, she leaves her Wall Street law firm to supervise Caribbean and Central American Affairs for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: The play follows the challenging education of a 21st-century American diplomat as she works with other dedicated public servants to deploy humanitarian aid to an earthquake-ravaged Haiti, navigate the roiling politics of immigration, confront the reality of international espionage, and free a wrongly imprisoned American from a Cuban prison.
“I feel so extraordinarily lucky and blessed to be able to tell this story about the American experience and the power of its public servants,” said Reynoso in a statement.
“Getting a play to the stage of The Public Theater has been quite an adventure,” added Chepiga. “Public Charge would not be where it is without the amazing contributions of Doug Hughes, Oskar Eustis, an absolutely incredible cast, and the wonderful, creative, dedicated staff of The Public Theater—and, of course, Julissa herself, sharing her true American story of public service.”
The upcoming production will also have scenic design by Arnulfo Maldonado, costume design by Haydee Zelideth, lighting design by Ben Stanton, sound design by David Van Tieghem, video design by Lucy Mackinnon, hair and wigs design by Earon Nealey, prop management by Samantha Llanes Gordon, and dramaturgy by Jack Phillips Moore.
Roxana Khan will serve as production stage manager with Molly Foy as stage manager.
Visit PublicTheater.org.
