The four-person cast includes Phyllis Frelich, who won a Tony Award for Children of a Lesser God; Andre De Shields, most recently seen on Broadway in The Full Monty; two-time Tony-winner James Naughton; and Heather Tom.

The play, opening May 5, is the final entry in the 2003-04 Broadway season. (Frozen, which begins previews April 28, opens one day earlier, May 4.) Prymate recently premiered at Florida State University at Tallahassee. As at FSU, Ed Sherin will direct.

Michael Parva and Chase Mishkin produce.

The work follows the story of two scientists who are battling for control over the life of an aging gorilla, and debates whether the animal should be allowed to grow old peacefully or be tested in hopes of finding a cure for a deadly disease. The ape communicates through American Sign Language.

The show's profile was heightened considerably by a feature article written by Bruce Weber that appeared in the New York Times. The production's center of attention will arguably be De Shields' wordless performance. The African-American actor plays the gorilla and Florida audiences were reportedly stirred and sometimes stunned by the portrayal. The actor told Playbill On-Line he hoped the role would get audiences talking and dispel lingering social stereotypes. De Shields said his involvement was initiated by director Sherin. The two men met some years ago and established a rapport. When the script for Prymate passed Sherin's desk, he thought of De Shields. "Ed called me up and said, 'I bet you don't have a gorilla on your resume.' I didn't."

De Shields stopped the show each night in The Full Monty with his roof-raising song, "Big Black Man." He was nominated for a Tony Award for his work. More recently, he starred in the new revival of poet Derek Walcott's 1967 play Dream on Monkey Mountain at Off-Broadway Classical Theatre of Harlem—a rare non-musical role for the actor. His previous nomination was for 1997's Play On! Other Broadway credits include The Wiz, Ain't Misbehavin' and 1984's André De Shields' Haarlem Nocturne, a revue which he conceived, wrote (with co-authors Murray Horwitz and musical director Marc Shaiman), directed, composed, choreographed and performed. He also appeared at the Goodman in Waiting for Godot.

Naughton won his Tonys for City of Angels and Chicago. He recently returned to the latter for a short stint as lawyer Billy Flynn. His other credits include Y2K and Four Baboons Adoring the Sun. As a director, he has piloted Broadway revivals of Our Town and The Price.