Heads up west coast ‘Eclipsed’ is headed your way.
The 2016 Tony Award Nominated play Eclipsed has made a big impact on Broadway this year with its strong story line and diverse cast, but the success is ready to get even bigger. The play’s playwright Danai Gurira and director Liesl Tommy joined the cast of Eclipsed this afternoon where they gave the audience a surprise visit during curtain call and announced plans for the show’s co-producer Carole Shorenstein Hays to bring the play to the Curran Theatre in San Francisco for a limited engagement next spring. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi along with Eclipsed producers Stephen Byrd, Alia Jones-Harney and Wally Hays (Deputy Director of the Curran) were present for the announcement and dedicated the evenings performance to two of the abducted and still missing 218 schoolgirls of Chikbok, Northern Nigeria and abducted girls around the world as part of the show’s ongoing series of dedications that was launched by U2’s lead singer Bono and Ms. Gurira last month.
Danai Gurira said, “It has been such a blessing to have this narrative told on Broadway and it truly thrills me that these voices will continue to be heard through this production. I am excited to be a part of the re-opening of the iconic Curran and to share this story with Bay Area audiences next spring.”
Carole Shorenstein Hays has a history of bringing great plays to Broadway and San Francisco, many of which have won the Theatre’s highest honor – The Tony Award – including, among others, Fences, Doubt and Proof.
“My goal has always been to create a new kind of artistic hub in San Francisco that engages new and existing audiences by presenting bold and daring work,” Shorenstein Hays said. “Eclipsed is emblematic of that mission. Through this historic play we bear witness to a cultural moment that speaks not only to audiences, but also to the world.”
Eclipsed is the story of five extraordinary women brought together by upheaval in their homeland of Liberia. They forge a close-knit community one that inspires them to feats of increasingly greater strength. Eclipsed marks a historic moment on Broadway its the first time the cast, director, and playwright are composed entirely of female artists, fitting for a production that so stunningly chronicles the experiences of a group of very resilient women.
Eclipsed also recently received five Outer Critics Circle Award nominations including Outstanding New Broadway Play, Outstanding Actress in a Play (Lupita Nyong’o), and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play (Pascale Armand, Zainab Jah, Saycon Sengbloh); a special Drama Desk Award for playwright Danai Gurira (Sam Norkin Award) and a nomination for Featured Actress in a Play (Saycon Sengbloh); plus three Lucille Lortel Award nominations for its celebrated Off-Broadway run in the following categories: Outstanding Play, Outstanding Director and Outstanding Costume Design.
It was also announced that the Curran will help bring 10,000 girls to Eclipsed as part of the show’s initiative to bring under-served young women (who may have never experienced a professional live theatrical production), to see Eclipsed. Now on Broadway, and soon in the Bay Area, girls from ages 16 to 24 will be given tickets to see this empowering and important play. More information on the 10,000 girl campaign can be found here: http://www.tenthousandgirls.com/
For a chance to get tickets and any updated information about more exciting happening at the Curran visit here!
