The women of Eclipsed: Cast (left to right: Saycon Sengbloh, Akosua Busia, Lupita Nyong'o, Zainab Jah and Pascale Armand), director (top left: Liesl Tommy) and writer (top right: Danai Gurira)
When Eclipsed opens next month, it will go down in history as the first Broadway production to feature an entirely black and female cast and creative team.
The play, written by Zimbabwean-American playwright, actress and star of The Walking Dead, Danai Gurira, tells the story of five women during the Liberian civil war.
Eclipsed originally premiered at the Yale Repertory Theater in 2009, with a now Academy Award-winning actress understudying for the role of the principle “Girl.”
The actress, of course, was Lupita Nyong’o, who blew us away last fall as the lead in the Public Theater’s sold-out production of Eclipsed. Directed by South African theater director Liesl Tommy, the off-Broadway show also featured brilliant performances by Pascale Armand, Akosua Busia, Zainab Jah and Saycon Sengbloh (who is herself Liberian).
All five women will reprise their roles, with Tommy at the helm, as producers Stephen Byrd and Alia Jones-Harvey bring the play to Broadway.
Eclipsed will also mark a Broadway debut for La La Anthony, one of the show’s co-producers. Through the 10,000 Girls Campaign, the Eclipsed team has a goal of bringing 10,000 girls from the tri-state area to see the show who would otherwise not have the opportunity to experience a Broadway production.
Okayafrica had the opportunity to join the show’s cast and crew on their very first day at their new home. Check out our photos from day 1 of Eclipsed at the legendary Golden Theatre below.
Previews for Eclipsed begin on Tuesday, February 23, with opening night set for March 6 at the Golden Theatre (252 W. 45th Street). Visit the 10,000 Girls Campaign website to find out how you can support the initiative. Keep up with the show on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
