Public Theater Postpones Guare's A Free Man of Color, with Mos Def and Jeffrey Wright

The Public Theater’s world premiere of John Guare’s A Free Man of Color, set to star hip-hop phenomenon Mos Def and Tony Award winner Jeffrey Wright, has been cancelled due to loss of funding brought on by the current economic climate. In a statement, the Public said it was still committed to mounting the “monumental” production, which was originally scheduled to debut in late Winter 2009, sometime next season. The show was to have been directed by the Public's former artistic director, George C. Wolfe.

“A Free Man of Color is a great play that deserves a great production; artists like John Guare and George C. Wolfe are the best we have and should get the best,” Public artistic director Oskar Eustis said in a statement. “This is a tough and disappointing decision, but one we made with great thought and care, and one that will ensure The Public’s health and stability.”

Part historical comedy, part classic sex farce, Free Man re-creates the sexually progressive New Orleans of 1802 when race was shifting and the Louisiana Purchase could complete America’s unfinished maps. Featuring a host of historical characters from Napoleon to Jefferson, the show is a radical re-telling of America’s coming of age.

The Public is currently producing the New York premiere of Road Show, the new John Weidman/Stephen Sondheim musical featuring Michael Cerveris and Alexander Gemignani through December 28, as well as Taking Over, Danny Hoch’s first solo show in 10 years, through December 14 and If You See Something Say Something by monologist Mike Daisey, through November 30.

The ’08-’09 Season will continue in the spring with the New York premiere of The Good Negro by Tracey Scott Wilson; the world premiere of Why Torture Is Wrong, and The People Who Love Them by Christopher Durang; the New York premiere of The Singing Forest by Craig Lucas; and The Bacchae by Euripides, directed by JoAnne Akalaitis with music by Philip Glass. The first play of the Shakespeare in the Park summer season is still to be announced.