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Viola Davis and Suzan-Lori Parks, two-time Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, have joined forces to produce a Broadway production of ‘Night, Mother. Davis will be starring in the play alongside Tony Award winner Edi Gathegi and produced by Tony Award-winner Stephen Byrd.
The Development of ‘Night, Mother
‘Night, Mother was first written in 1983 by Parks as an exploration into a mother-daughter relationship during a life-changing conversation. Parks used this story to show the bravery of two women dealing with various emotions and trying to take control of their own lives.
With this production of the play, Parks and Davis will be giving the story new life. With two of the best awards in theater, the Tony and Pulitzer Prize, under their belts, they are sure to create something special.
Bootleg History
In preparation for their debut, Davis and Parks recently held a bootleg reading of the play. Sitting in a recording studio, Davis, Parks and others read planned portions of the script, to get a feel for what will be included in the Broadway performance.
What’s Next
It is expected that the Broadway production of ‘Night, Mother will debut in early 2022. Until then, the cast and crew are keeping busy as they come together to build out their vision.
The Production Team
The team behind the production of ‘Night, Mother includes the following:
- Viola Davis – Producer, Star
- Suzan-Lori Parks – Producer, Playwright
- Edi Gathegi – Star
- Stephen Byrd – Producer
- Mark Brokaw – Director
- Neil Patel – Scenic Designer
- Mark Bennett – Music Supervisor
- Paul Tazewell – Costume Designer
- Christopher Fitzsimmons – Lighting Designer
- Kirkaldy Myers-Lipton – Sound Designer
The team is excited to bring their combined talents together to produce an innovative and thought-provoking performance for Broadway.
What Broadway shows has Suzan-Lori Parks written?
Suzan-Lori Parks has written several Broadway shows including the 2002 Pulitzer Prize-winning Topdog/Underdog and Father Comes Home from the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3). She also wrote an adaptation of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, and White Noise, which is set to open on Broadway in 2020.
Has Suzan-Lori Parks written any Tony Award-winning Broadway shows?
Yes, Suzan-Lori Parks wrote the musical “Topdog/Underdog,” which won two Tony Awards in 2002 – for Best Play and Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play.
Has Suzan-Lori Parks won any Tony Awards for her plays?
Yes, Suzan-Lori Parks has won two Tony Awards. The first was for Best Original Score for her musical Topdog/Underdog in 2002, and the second was for Best Play for her play Father Comes Home from the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) in 2016.
