By Adam Hetrick
05 Oct 2009

Broke-ology stars Crystal A. Dickinson and Wendell Pierce
photo by T. Charles Erickson

Two brothers at odds with one another are the subject of Nathan Louis Jackson's Broke-ology, which officially opens Off-Broadway at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater Oct. 5.

Lincoln Center Theater presents the New York premiere of Jackson's play, which began performances Sept. 10 and will play a limited engagement through Nov. 22.

Tony-nominated director Thomas Kail (In the Heights, The Wiz), who staged the world premiere of Broke-ology at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 2008, returns to stage the LCT production.

The four-member cast comprises Francois Battiste (The Good Negro, Prelude to a Kiss), Crystal A. Dickinson (The First Breeze of Summer), Alano Miller (In the Red and Brown Water) and Wendell Pierce (Serious Money, "The Wire"). Both Battiste and Pierce appeared in the production at Williamstown.

Designing Broke-ology are Donyale Werle (set design), Emily Rebholz (costume design), Jill DuBoff (sound design) and Jason Lyons (lighting design).

According to LCT press notes, Broke-ology "is the story of the King family who have weathered the hardships of life and survived with their love for each other intact. But when two brothers (Battiste and Miller) are called home to take care of their ailing father (Pierce), one of them must choose to follow the life he dreams of or honor the unspoken promise of loyalty to his family."

Juilliard School graduate Nathan Louis Jackson makes his New York debut with Broke-ology. He is the recipient of two Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Awards, the Mark Twain Playwrighting Award and the Kennedy Center's Gold Medallion. He has previously presented his work in The Kennedy Center Summer Playwriting intensive and the William Inge 24 Hour Play Festival.

For tickets visit LCT.

Francois Battiste, Wendell Pierce and Alano Miller in Broke-ology
photo by T. Charles Erickson

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