Rebecca Naomi Jones & Kecia Lewis are Marie and Rosetta

The Atlantic Theater Company has announced that Kecia Lewis and Rebecca Naomi Jones will star in the upcoming world premiere of George Brant's play with music Marie and Rosetta. Directed by Neil Pepe, previews will begin at Atlantic's Linda Gross Theater on 24 August 2016, before an official opening on 12 September and a limited engagement through to 2 October 2016.

Kecia Lewis will take on the role of Sister Rosetta Tharpe. She was last seen on the New York stage in the title role of 'Mother Courage and Her Children' at Classic Stage Company. Her Broadway credits include 'Dreamgirls,' 'Big River,' 'The Gospel at Colonus,' 'Ain't Misbehavin,' 'Once on This Island,' 'Chicago,' 'The Drowsy Chaperone,' and 'Leap of Faith.'

Rebecca Naomi Jones will portray Marie Knight. She last appeared as Yitshak in 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch.' Other Broadway credits include Green Day's 'American Idiot,' and 'Passing Strange.'She has also appeared off-Broadway in 'Murder Ballad,' 'Big Love' and 'The Fortress of Solitude.'

Synopsis: "A huge influence on Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles and Jimi Hendrix, Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a legend in her time, bringing fierce guitar-playing and swing to gospel music. Tharpe was the queen of 'race records' in the 30's and 40's, a woman who played guitar as passionately as Clapton, who performed mornings at churches and evenings at the Cotton Club, who was a big enough star to fill a baseball stadium for her third wedding, but ended up buried in an unmarked grave in Philadelphia. Marie and Rosetta chronicles her first rehearsal with a young protege, Marie Knight, as they prepare to embark on a tour that would establish them as one of the great duet teams in musical history."

The creative team behind Marie and Rosetta has also been announced and features music direction by Jason Michael Webb, scenic design by Riccardo Hernández, costume design by Dede Ayite, lighting design by Christopher Akerlind, and sound design by Steve Canyon Kennedy.

- by Tom Millward