Casting Complete for Roy Williams' The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner at the Atlantic Theater Company

Complete casting has been announced for the American premiere of Roy Williams’ The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner off-Broadway. Directed by Leah C. Gardiner, the new production will feature Eshan Bay (Netflix's House of Cards) and Sheldon Best (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) and begin performances on January 8, 2014. The show will play a limited engagement through February 9 at Atlantic Theater Company’s Stage 2, with opening night set for January 21.

Along with Bay and Best, the cast of the stage adaptation of Alan Sillitoe’s classic story will include Zainab Jah (Ruined), Jasmine Cephas Jones, Patrick Murney (White Noise), Joshua E. Nelson, Sydney Sainté, Raviv Ullman (The King and I), Todd Weeks  (The Jammer) and Malik Yoba (Disney’s Cool Runnings).

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner tells the story of Colin (Best), who with few prospects in life, finds himself in a prison school for criminal activity. He turns to long distance running as an escape, only to have the school exploit him for his talent, offering him a possible way out. Will he run his race for them, or for his independence?

Gardiner’s New York theater credits include the Obie winning play Born Bad and the world premiere production of the Pulitzer Prize finalist Bulrusher. Williams was Olivier nominated for Sucker Punch. 

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner’s creative team features scenic design by Lauren Helpern, costume design by Bobby Frederick Tilley II, lighting design by Michael Chybowski, sound design by Bart Fasbender and projection design by Pauline Lu and Paul Piekarz.