Max Stafford-Clark, who staged the London premiere of the work, directs here as well. The limited Off-Broadway engagement began previews Sept. 28 and will run through Dec. 23. The Overwhelming follows the "story of an American family, newly arrived in Kigali, Rwanda, in early 1994, who come face-to-face with the realization that nothing and no one around them is what they understood it to be," according to show notes. "Finding themselves embroiled in events beyond their understanding, three Americans struggle to discover who they can trust and what they will do when faced with matters of life and death."

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At left (from top): Sam Robards; director Max Stafford-Clark and Stella Feehily; Owiso Odera; Sharon Washington and Ron Cephas Jones; James Rebhorn; Chris Chalk, Boris McGiver and Michael Stahl-David; Charles Parnell; Tisola Logan; Linda Powell and Clive Francis James; author J.T. Rogers; Kaitlin Hopkins and husband Jim Price; Kathryn Meisle; Laura Pels; Lauren Bacall and daughter-in-law Sidsel Robards.

Below: The cast of The Overwhelming takes its opening night bows.

photos by Aubrey Reuben