Ruined: Portia assumes the role of 'Mama Nadi'

Portia assumes the role of 'Mama Nadi' on 26 May 2009 in Manhattan Theatre Club's production of Ruined, the Pulitzer Prize winning play by Lynn Nottage.

Saidah Arrika Ekulona - who originated the role, departed the show on 17 May 2009 to fulfill an earlier professional commitment.

Portia received a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play for her role as 'Opal' in the Roundabout Theatre Company's Off-Broadway production of Stephen Belber�s 'McReele.' She also appeared in the production of Stephen Adly Guirgis� 'Our Lady of 121st Street' for which she received Lucille Lortel, Drama League, and AUDELCO Award nominations. She last appeared Off-Broadway in the Signature Theatre Company's production of 'Zooman and the Sign.'

Ruined, directed by Kate Whoriskey, opened at NY City Center Stage I on 10 Feb 2009, following previews from 21 Jan, where it is playing an extended engagement rhough to 28 Jun 2009.

Ruined is the most acclaimed new play of 2009, having received the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Best Play award from the New York Drama Critics Circle, two Lucille Lortel Award including Outstanding Play, the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play, a Theatre World Award, a Clarence Derwent Award, five Drama Desk Award nominations including Outstanding New Play, and two Drama League nominations including Distinguished Production of a Play.

Ruined opened to excellent reviews: "stirring and sometimes startling new work" (NY Daily News); "Beautiful, hideous and unpretentiously important" (NewsDay); "powerful new drama" (AP); "emotionally scorching new play" (Variety) and "a crackling thriller with humor, plot twists and lots of humanity.� (NY1)

Ruined: Set in a small mining town in Democratic Republic of Congo, the play follows Mama Nadi (Lenox), a shrewd businesswoman in a land torn apart by civil war. But is she protecting or profiting by the women she shelters? How far will she go to survive? Can a price be placed on a human life?

Ruined is a co-production with Chicago�s Goodman Theatre where it opened to rave reviews for Nottage�s play, the ensemble cast, and director Kate Whoriskey.

Ruined also features Quincy Tyler Bernstine (Salima), Cherise Boothe (Josephine), Chris Chalk (Jerome Kisembe/Soldier/Aid Worker), William Jackson Harper (Simon/Soldier/Miner), Chik� Johnson (Fortune), Russell G. Jones (Christian), Simon Shabantu Kashama (Soldier), Kevin Mambo (Commander Osembenga/Soldier), Tom Mardirosian (Mr. Harari), Ron McBee (Soldier) and Condola Rasha (Sophie).

The creative team for Ruined includes: Derek McLane (sets), Paul Tazewell (costumes) and Peter Kaczorowski (lighting).