Tony Nominee Liesl Tommy to Direct World Premiere of Pass Over
(© David Gordon)
Steppenwolf Theatre has announced that Tony nominee Liesl Tommy (Eclipsed) will direct the Chicago theater's world premiere production of Pass Over, written by Antoinette Nwandu.
Running June 1-July 9 in the Upstairs Theatre, Pass Over is described as an "incendiary riff on Waiting for Godot." The play follows two young black men who stand around on a corner — killing time and hoping that maybe today will be different. When a white man wanders into their space, an escalating crisis threatens to prevent their escape from the block.
The cast will feature ensemble member Jon Michael Hill and Cliff Chamberlain with one remaining role to be announced. The production team includes Wilson Chin (scenic design), Dede Ayite (costume design), Marcus Doshi (lighting design), and Ray Nardelli (sound design and original music).
Tommy was the first woman of color nominated for a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play for Danai Gurira's Eclipsed, starring Lupita Nyong’o. Other acclaimed world premieres she has directed include The Good Negro and The Urban Retreat at the Public Theater and Frozen for Disney.
Nwandu is a member of the Ars Nova Play Group. Her plays have been produced and developed by Page73, Ars Nova, the Flea, and Naked Angels, among others. In spring 2016, Pass Over received a workshop as part of the Cherry Lane Mentor Project under the mentorship of Katori Hall.
