Kecia Lewis and Rebecca Naomi Jones to Costar in Marie and Rosetta

Atlantic Theater Company has announced that Kecia Lewis and Rebecca Naomi Jones will costar in the upcoming world premiere of Marie and Rosetta, written by George Brant (Grounded). Performances will begin August 24, in advance of a September 12 opening, and will run through October 2.

Helmed by Atlantic artistic director Neil Pepe, Marie and Rosetta is described as follows: "A huge influence on Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles and Jimi Hendrix, Sister Rosetta Tharpe (Lewis) was a legend in her time, bringing fierce guitar-playing and swing to gospel music. Tharpe was the queen of 'race records' in the '30s and '40s, 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 Sister Rosetta’s first rehearsal with a young protégée, Marie Knight (Jones), as they prepare to embark on a tour that would establish them as one of the great duet teams in musical history."

Lewis is best known for originating the role of Asaka, Mother of The Earth on Broadway in Once on This Island. Earlier this year, she performed the title role in Mother Courage at Classic Stage Company. Jones has performed on Broadway in Passing Strange, American Idiot, and, in 2015, as Yitzhak in the Broadway revival of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. She recently concluded her run at Williamstown Theatre Festival with Martyna Majok's play Cost of Living.

The creative team will feature scenic design by Riccardo Hernández, costume design by Dede Ayite, lighting design by Christopher Akerlind, sound design by Steve Canyon Kennedy, and music direction by Jason Michael Webb.

For tickets and more information, click here.