Kecia Lewis Steps in After Tonya Pinkins' Abrupt Departure From Mother Courage and Her Children Off-Broadway

After Tonya Pinkins' controversial exit from Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children, Broadway vet Kecia Lewis will assume the title role in the production on January 8. Classic Stage Company has canceled performances of the show January 5 through January 7. Directed by Brian Kulick and featuring original music by Tony winner Duncan Sheik, Mother Courage will play a limited engagement through January 24 as originally scheduled. No word yet on the opening night date; it had previously been set for January 7.

Lewis made her Broadway debut as Effie in Dreamgirls; additional Main Stem credits include Big River, Ain't Misbehavin, Gospel At Colonus, The Drowsy Chaperone, Leap of Faith, Chicago and Once On This Island. On screen appearances include a recurring role in Law & Order SVU, Limitless and the upcoming season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

The indomitable Mother Courage (Lewis) follows one luckless army after another across a war-torn world in her canteen wagon. She’ll do anything to hold onto her money-making wagon, even if it means the loss of her children, in this timeless tale of war and big business updated to the modern-day conflagration in the Congo.

The cast also includes Joshua Boone, Curtiss Cook Jr., Kevin Mambo, Jacob Ming-Trent, Geoffrey Owens, Michael Potts, Deandre Sevon, Mirirai Sithole and Zenzi Williams.

Broadway.com customers with tickets to canceled performances will be contacted with information on refunds or exchanges.