Lincoln Center Theater has announced the complete cast and creative team for its revival of August Wilson’s Seven Guitars, beginning performances November 5 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater Off-Broadway, with opening night set for November 23.
Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, who won his first Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in the 1996 Broadway premiere of the same play, the production stars Russell Hornsby as Floyd “Schoolboy” Barton, Chanté Adams as Ruby, Kristolyn Lloyd as Vera, Jason Dirden as Canewell, Michael Potts as Red Carter, Roslyn Ruff as Louise and John Douglas Thompson as Hedley.
Set in 1940s Pittsburgh, Seven Guitars follows blues musician Floyd “Schoolboy” Barton, a man determined to win back the woman he loves and build a future beyond the limitations of Black life in America. As his friends gather and stories about Barton flow, what emerges is a richly layered portrait of masculinity and ambition, artistry, community and the collective weight of dreams deferred.
The creative team includes Kenneth L. Roberson on choreography, Michael Carnahan on scenic design, Karen Perry on costume design, Rui Rita on lighting design, Justin Ellington on sound design, Nikiya Mathis on hair and wig design and Junior Mack on original music.
Understudies include Taylor Elise Jackson, Warner Miller, Simone Moore and Kevyn Morrow.
Hornsby brings an extensive August Wilson resume to the role, having previously played Lyons in Fences on Broadway and Youngblood in Jitney Off-Broadway, among others. His screen credits include The Hate U Give, Creed II, Fences and four seasons of Starz’s BMF. Adams, who earned a Special Jury Prize at Sundance for Roxanne Roxanne, previously starred opposite Phylicia Rashad in Skeleton Crew on Broadway, also directed by Santiago-Hudson. Lloyd, a Grammy and Emmy Award winner, is known for originating the role of Zoe Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway. Dirden, a veteran of August Wilson’s work, recently appeared in Power: Origins on Starz. Potts appeared in the Broadway productions of The Piano Lesson, Jitney and The Iceman Cometh, as well as HBO’s The Wire. Ruff previously won an Obie Award for Seven Guitars under Santiago-Hudson’s direction at Signature Theatre. Thompson earned a Tony nomination for his performance in Jitney on Broadway.
Seven Guitars begins performances November 5 at Lincoln Center Theater’s Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, with opening night November 23.