Complete Casting Announced for the Public Theater’s Detroit ‘67 and Neva

Casting has been announced for the next two shows in the Public Theater’s spring 2013 season, kicking off with the world premiere of Detroit ‘67 (February 26 through March 17) and the English language premiere of the politically-charged Neva (March 1 through March 31).

Written by Dominique Morisseau, Detroit ‘67 follows a pair of siblings who turn their basement into an after-hours joint. When a mysterious woman comes into their lives, their family business is at stake, as is their city when it faces the flames of the ’67 Detroit riots. Directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah, the Public Lab production will star Tony nominee De’Adre Aziza (Passing Strange), Francois Battiste (Magic/Bird), Brandon Dirden (Clybourne Park), Samantha Soule (The Philanthropist) and Michelle Wilson. The play officially opens on March 12. 

Neva is the story of Anton Chekhov’s widow, a Russian actress who arrives at a rehearsal in St. Petersburg in the winter of 1905. As she waits with two other actors and muses on their art, the rest of the city faces terror from the Tsarist regime gunning down striking workers in the streets. Guillermo Calderon writes and directs the production, with an English translation by Andrea Thome. The cast features Bianca Amato (Arcadia), Luke Robertson and Quincy Tyler-Bernstine (In The Next Room...) The show's opening night is set for March 11.

The Public season will also include Old Fashioned Prostitutes (A True Romance), the new musical Venice and David Byrne and Fatboy Slim's Here Lies Love.