Lynn Nottage's Sweat Celebrates Opening Night at Arena Stage

Sweat, a new drama from Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, recently celebrated opening night of its East Coast debut at Arena Stage. Helmed by Nottage's longtime collaborator Kate Whoriskey, the production is set to run through February 21.

A co-commission with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Sweat is the result of extensive interviews conducted by Nottage and Whoriskey, who spent two years visiting and interviewing residents of Reading, Pennsylvania, which was named the nation's poorest city in 2011. Set in 2000 and 2008, the play explores America's industrial decline at the turn of the millennium with a look inside Reading, where a group of close friends shares everything: drinks, secrets, and laughs. But when rumors of layoffs shake up the local steel mill, the fragile bonds of their community begin to fray and a horrific crime sends shock waves across two generations.

The cast features Jack Willis (President Lyndon Baines Johnson in Arena's upcoming All the Way) and Tony Award nominee Kimberly Scott (Joe Turner's Come and Gone), who reprises the roles of Stan and Cynthia, which they originated at OSF. Also reprising roles they originated for the Oregon world premiere are Kevin Kenerly as Brucie, Stephen Michael Spencer as Jason, Tramell Tillman as Chris, and Tyrone Wilson as Evan. Joining the company for the D.C. production are Tony Award nominee Johanna Day (You Can't Take It With You) as Tracey, Reza Salazar as Oscar, and Tara Mallen as Jessie.

For tickets and more information, click here.