Rebecca Naomi Jones Headed for This Beautiful City

Rebecca Naomi Jones Wig Out!, Passing Strange is set to join the cast of the Civilians’ This Beautiful City at the Vineyard Theatre beginning March 7. She replaces Marsha Stephanie Blake, who is heading for Broadway in Lincoln Center Theater's revival of August Wilson’s Joe Turner’s Come and Gone. Written by Steve Cosson and Jim Lewis, with music and lyrics by Michael Friedman, This Beautiful City continues its New York premiere run through March 15, directed by Cosson.

Last seen as one of The Fates 3 in the Vineyard's world-premiere production of Tarell Alvin McCraney's Wig Out!, Jones appeared in the original off-Broadway cast of Passing Strange, as well as its Tony Award-winning Broadway incarnation. Her other credits include How Love Is Spelt at Playwrights Horizons, national tours of Caroline, or Change and Rent, as well as the films Miracle at St. Anna and Passing Strange, directed by Spike Lee.

In addition to Jones, the cast of This Beautiful City includes Emily Ackerman, Brad Heberlee, Brandon Miller, Stephen Plunkett and Alison Weller, along with musicians Chris Biesterfeldt, Benjamin Campbell and Richard Huntley. Music direction is by Erik James.

This Beautiful City opened off-Broadway on February 22. Billed as a play with music, it details the growth of the evangelical movement in Colorado Springs, and was created from interviews by the cast over the course of 10 weeks in Colorado Springs. Every leading church in the area participated in the project, as did numerous civic organizations, progressive activists, and individuals from all walks of life.

The production has set design by Neil Patel, costume design by Alix Hester, lighting design by David Weiner, sound design by Ken Travis, and projection design by Jason Thompson. Choreography is by John Carrafa.