James Ijames (Fat Ham)'s Good Bones opened its extended New York premiere at Off-Broadway's Public Theater October 1 after beginning previews September 19 in the company's Martinson Hall, and the reviews are in. Directed by Public Associate Artistic Director Saheem Ali, the production will continue through October 27.
The cast includes Mamoudou Athie as Travis, Khris Davis as Earl, Téa Guarino as Carmen, and Susan Kelechi Watson as Aisha. Understudies Aaron J. Anderson and Sabrina K. Victor round out the company.
Read the reviews below.
CitiTour NYC (Brian Scott Lipton)
The Front Row Center (David Walters)
New York Magazine/Vulture (Sara Holdren)
New York Stage Review (Melissa Rose Bernardo)
New York Theater (Jonathan Mandell)
New York Theatre Guide (Allison Considine)
The New York Times (Maya Phillips)*
*This review may require creating a free account or a paid subscription.
Playbill will continue to update this list as reviews come in.
The play, which premiered at Washington, D.C.'s Studio Theatre last year, centers on a woman who gets a chance to revitalize the troubled neighborhood in which she grew up, a process that quickly devolves into painful and hard conversations about who gets to stay and who must go. The production brings Ijames back to the Public after the company's staging of his Pulitzer-winning Fat Ham transferred to Broadway.
The production also features scenic design by Maruti Evans, costume design by Oana Botez, lighting design by Barbara Samuels, sound design by Fan Zhang, and hair and wig design by Krystal Balleza. Jack Phillips Moore is serving as dramaturg, Norman Anthony Small is production stage manager, and Giselle Andrea Raphaela is stage manager. Darrell Grand Moultrie is providing drill choreography.
Tickets are available at PublicTheater.org.
Mamoudou Athie, Susan Kelechi Watson, and Khris Davis in Good Bones
Khris Davis and Mamoudou Athie in Good Bones
Khris Davis and Susan Kelechi Watson in Good Bones
Susan Kelechi Watson and Khris Davis in Good Bones
Susan Kelechi Watson in Good Bones
Téa Guarino in Good Bones
Susan Kelechi Watson, Téa Guarino, and Khris Davis in Good Bones
Khris Davis, Susan Kelechi Watson, and Téa Guarino in Good Bones
Mamoudou Athie and Susan Kelechi Watson in Good Bones
Mamoudou Athie in Good Bones
Susan Kelechi Watson and Mamoudou Athie in Good Bones
Mamoudou Athie, Téa Guarino, Khris Davis, and Susan Kelechi Watson in Good Bones
Téa Guarino, Khris Davis, Susan Kelechi Watson, and Mamoudou Athie in Good Bones
Mamoudou Athie in Good Bones
Khris Davis in Good Bones
