Mythology and Urban Poverty Collide in McCraney's In the Red and Brown Water, Beginning Oct. 30 at the Public

By Adam Hetrick
30 Oct 2009

Playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney
Playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney
Photo by Greg Funnell

Dreams inspire the title of Tarell Alvin McCraney's In the Red and Brown Water, the first part of his Brother/Sister Plays trilogy, which begins performances at the Public Theater Oct. 30.

Tina Landau stages In the Red and Brown Water that will officially open with its counterparts on Nov. 17. The latter two plays in the trilogy — The Brothers Size and Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet — began previews Oct. 21. All three plays will run through Dec. 13.

McCraney's bayou-set trilogy (the full umbrella title is The Brother/Sister Plays Part 1 & Part 2) made its world premiere at New Jersey's McCarter Theatre Center, which co-presents the Off-Broadway run.

Set in a fictional Louisiana town, In the Red and Brown Water follows African-American teen Oya (named for the Yoruba goddess of wind), who must chose between a track scholarship at a state university or to stay by the side of her ailing mother.

The cast includes Sterling K. Brown (Topdog/Underdog, Macbeth), as Shango/Shua, Kimberly Hébert Gregory (Amen Corner) as Aunt Elegua/Shun, Brian Tyree Henry (A Civil War Christmas) as Egungun/Oshoosi/Tarell, Andre Holland (Wig Out) as Elegba/Marcus, Marc Damon Johnson (The Poor Itch) as Ogun, Sean Allan Krill (Mamma Mia) as O Li Roon/Man From State, Nikiya Mathis (Eclipsed) as Shun/Shaunta Iyun, Kianné Muschett (Our Lady of 121st Street) as Oya/Osha, and Heather Alicia Simms (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) as Nia/Mama Moja/Oba.

According to the Public, "Tarell Alvin McCraney's trilogy is a collection of modern-day stories of kinship, love, heartache and coming-of-age centered around an extended family and community in the Bayou."

Designing the productions are James Schuette (scenic design), Karen Perry (costume design), Peter Kaczorowski (lighting design) and Lindsay Jones (sound design).

The world premiere of McCraney's The Brothers Size was staged by the Public Theater as part of the 2007 Under the Radar Festival. In the Red and Brown Water made its world premiere at the Alliance Theatre in 2008 under Landau's direction. The trilogy made its London premiere at the Young Vic in 2008.

McCraney is also the author of The Breach (Southern Rep in New Orleans, Seattle Rep), Wig Out! (The Vineyard, Sundance Summer Theater Institute), Without/Sin (Yale Cabaret), Run Mourner, Run (Yale Cabaret), and A Taurian Tale (52nd Street Project).

The Brother/Sister Plays are presented in two separate evenings, with marathons scheduled for the weekends. For tickets visit PublicTheater.

The Public Theater is located at 425 Lafayette Street in Manhattan.