Zainab Jah, Sahr Ngaujah & Thomas Silcott

Zainab Jah, Sahr Ngaujah & Thomas Silcott to star in Signature Theatre's Boesman and Lena

Signature Theatre's production of Athol Fugard's Boesman and Lena begins performances off-Broadway on February 5, 2019.

Tom Millward
Tom Millward

Signature Theatre has now confirmed casting and creative team information for its previously announced production of Athol Fugard's Boesman and Lena, which runs at Pershing Square Signature Center's Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre from February 5 to March 17, 2019, with an official opening set for February 25.

The cast features Zainab Jah (as Lena), Tony Award nominee Sahr Ngaujah (as Boesman), and Thomas Silcott (as Old African).

Zainab Jah has made a name for herself off-Broadway in recent years with celebrated turns in productions such as MCC Theater's School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, WP Theater's Stuffed, Public Theater's Eclipsed, and Venus (also for Signature Theatre). Eclipsed was also granted a Broadway transfer, marking her Broadway debut in 2016.

Sahr Ngaujah has previously appeared in the Signature Theatre productions of Master Harold... and the BoysSignature Plays, and The Painted Rocks at Revolver Creek. He is set to star as Toulouse-Lautrec in Moulin Rouge! The Musical this summer (reprising the role from the 2018 Boston world premiere), and he is perhaps best known for his Tony-nominated turn as Fela Anikulapo-Kuti in the Broadway and National Tour productions of Fela! He also recently appeared in Marvel's "Luke Cage" on Netflix.

Thomas Silcott has starred in the National Tour of Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk and also appeared in Marvel's "Luke Cage" on Netflix.

Synopsis: "In Boesman and Lena, the human need for kindness, hope and compassion is on display in the struggles of abusive Boesman and his long-suffering wife Lena, who encounter a stranger while wandering the South African wastelands."

Boesman and Lena is directed by Yaël Farber and the creative team features scenic & costume design by Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Amith Chandrashaker, sound design by Matt Hubbs, fight direction by UnkleDave's Fight-House, and dialect coaching by Barbara Rubin.

(Photos courtesy of Signature Theatre)

Originally published on

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