Trouble In Mind cast 2021, L to R: Jessica Frances Dukes, Don Stephenson, Simon Jones, Chuck Cooper, LaChanze, Michael Zegen, Alex Mickiewicz, Danielle Campbell, Brandon Micheal Hall PHOTO BY MARC J. FRANKLIN
Roundabout Theatre Company Bringing Broadway Back with Trouble in Mind and Caroline, or Change
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BY B E T T Y TAY LO R
s audiences come back around to visiting Broadway, Roundabout Theatre Company has announced their two latest shows, Trouble in Mind, starring Tony and Emmy Award winner LaChanze, and Caroline, or Change, with three-time Olivier Award Winner Sharon D Clarke. Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, who is known for his diverse directing career in theater, television and film, including the hit Motown the Musical, Trouble in Mind, written by Alice Childress, is running through January 9th, 2022 at American Airlines Theatre. In addition to superstar LaChanze, the rest of this spellbinding cast includes Michael Zegen, Danielle Camp-
bell, Jessica Frances Dukes, Brandon Micheal Hall, Simon Jones, Alex Mickiewicz, Don Stephenson and Chuck Cooper. Roundabout recently conducted an online reading of Childress’ play, Wine in the Wilderness, as part of the company’s multi-year The Refocus Project. Presented in association with Black Theatre United, this initiative spotlights twentieth-century Black plays and their playwrights while educating a new generation of theatregoers. This powerful and thought-provoking play, which originally opened to much fanfare Off-Broadway in 1955, is centered around a Black stage actress going through rehearsals of a major Broadway production. Trouble in Mind takes a captivating and close-up look at racism, ego and identity amidst the world of New York theatre during mid-1950s. Childress’ moving
