Michael Urie, Nikki M. James & More Join Tony Kushner's A Bright Room Called Day at the Public Theater

Stage favorite Michael Urie (Torch Song, Grand Horizons) and Tony winner Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon, Twelfth Night) are among the newly announced company of the Public Theater's highly anticipated revival of Tony Kushner's A Bright Room Called Day, which returns to the Public after its original staging in 1990. Artistic Director Oskar Eustis will helm the previously announced production, set to begin previews on October 29 and officially open on November 19. The Public has also announced a one-week extension through December 15.

Urie will take on the role of Gregor Bazwald with James as Agnes Eggling; the company will also include Michael Esper (The Last Ship) as Vealtninc Husz, Grace Gummer (The Columnist) as Paulinka Erdnuss, Crystal Lucas-Perry (Ain't No Mo') as Zillah, Nadine Malouf (The School for Scandal) as Rosa Malek, Mark Margolis (Moe's Lucky Seven) as Gottfried Swetts and Max Woertendyke (Illyria) as Emil Traum.

They join the previously announced Tony nominees Linda Emond (Cabaret) as Annabella Gotchling, Jonathan Hadary (Gypsy) as Xillah and Estelle Parsons (August: Osage County) as Die Älte.

A Bright Room Called Day suggests the possibility of the Reagan counter-revolution eventually giving rise to American fascism. Agnes, an actress in Weimar Germany, and her cadre of passionate, progressive friends, are torn between protest, escape and survival as the world they knew crumbles around them. Her story is interrupted by an American woman enraged by the cruelty of the Reagan administration, and a new character, grappling with the anxiety, distraction, hope and hopelessness of an artist facing the once unthinkable rise of authoritarianism in modern America.

The production will feature scenic design by David Rockwell, lighting design by John Torres, sound design by Bray Poor, projection design by Lucy Mackinnon and co-costume design by Susan Hilferty and Sarita Fellows.