NewsPHOTO CALL: Stark Sands, Leslie Odom Jr. and More Celebrate Opening Night of Billy Porter's While I Yet LiveWhile I Yet Live, the semi-autobiographical world-premiere play from Kinky Boots Tony Award winner Billy Porter about a young man's coming of age in Pittsburgh, PA, officially opened Oct. 12 after previews that began Sept. 24 Off-Broadway.
By
Matthew Blank
October 13, 2014
Primary Stages presents the new work that runs through Oct. 31. The Off-Broadway production is presented in association with Susan Dietz (Fela!, Mothers and Sons).
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Stark Sands, Leslie Odom Jr. and More Celebrate Opening Night of Billy Porter's While I Yet Live
Stark Sands, Leslie Odom Jr. and More Celebrate Opening Night of Billy Porter's While I Yet Live
While I Yet Live, the semi-autobiographical world-premiere play from Kinky Boots Tony Award winner Billy Porter about a young man's coming of age in Pittsburgh, PA, officially opened Oct. 12 after previews that began Sept. 24 Off-Broadway.
41 PHOTOS
Lilias White, Larry Powell, Sheria Irving, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sharon Washington, Elain Graham and Kevyn Morrow
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Lilias White and Larry Powell
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Larry Powell, Sheria Irving and S. Epatha Merkerson
Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Larry Powell, Sheria Irving, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sharon Washington and Elain Graham
Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Lilias White, Larry Powell, Sheria Irving, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sharon Washington, Elain Graham and Kevyn Morrow
Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Larry Powell, Sheria Irving, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sharon Washington and Elain Graham
Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Larry Powell, Sheria Irving, Billy Porter, S. Epatha Merkerson and Sharon Washington
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Billy Porter, Sheryl Kaller and cast
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Billy Porter and cast
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Sheria Irving, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sheryl Kaller and Sharon Washington
Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Billy Porter, Lilias White, Larry Powell and Sheria Irving
Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Leslie Odom Jr. and Nicolette Robinson-Odom
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Jason Prince
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Gemma Clarke and Stark Sands
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Stark Sands
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Sheryl Kaller and Billy Porter
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Billy Porter
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Billy Porter
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Elain Graham
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Sheria Irving
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Sheria Irving
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S. Epatha Merkerson and Billy Porter
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S. Epatha Merkerson
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Kevyn Morrow
Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Kevyn Morrow
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Larry Powell
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Sharon Washington
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Lillias White
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Lillias White
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Sheryl Kaller
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Billy Porter, Michelle Bossy and Kevyn Morrow
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S. Epatha Merkerson, Billy Porter and Billy Porter's family
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Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Larry Powell, Sharon Washington, Elain Graham, Lillias White, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sheria Irving and Kevyn Morrow
Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Larry Powell, Elain Graham, Sharon Washington, Lillias White, Billy Porter, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sheria Irving and Kevyn Morrow
Porter earned the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in Kinky Boots. His Broadway appearances also include Miss Saigon, Five Guys Named Moe, Grease, Smokey Joe's Café and Dreamgirls.
"This play is a love letter to my mother, my sister, and the women who raised me," Porter said in a statement. "Reflecting on my own life experience as a gay, black, Christian man, and survivor of abuse, I wanted to write a play that was about family, faith and the healing power of forgiveness, three things very necessary to move forward and make change in your life. Change is possible, but it takes patience."
Tony Award nominee Sheryl Kaller (Mothers and Sons, Next Fall, Adrift in Macao) directs the premiere of Pittsburgh native Porter's play that stars Tony Award winner Lillias White (The Life, Fela!), Emmy Award winner S. Epatha Merkerson (Come Back, Little Sheba; "Law & Order"), Elain Graham (The Picture Box, "Smash"), Sheria Irving (Romeo & Juliet, Ethel Sings), Kevyn Morrow (The Scarlet Pimpernel, Dreamgirls), Sharon Washington (The Scottsboro Boys, Wild With Happy) and Larry Powell (Broke-ology, Dutchman).
The production has scenic design by James Noone, costume design by ESosa, lighting design by Kevin Adams, sound design by Leon Rothenberg and casting by Stephanie Klapper Casting.
