BY NAOMI WALLACE & MARCUS REDIKER
DIRECTED BY RON DANIELS
STARRING MARK POVINELLI
MARCH 14 - APRIL 6 2025
THE SHEEN CENTER
NEW YORK CITY
MAY 1 - MAY 18 2025
THE SEDGWICK THEATER
PHILADELPHIA
2025. In the silence of a Quaker meeting house. Benjamin Lay – shepherd, sailor, revolutionary – returns from the grave almost 300 years after his death, as feisty and unpredictable as ever.
The 4ft “David” confronts the “Goliath” of slavery as he demands once again to be to be readmitted into the Quaker community that disowned him for ideas considered dangerous and disruptive.
How far will he go, knowing the cost of protest?
Sweeping across the centuries, The Return of Benjamin Lay is a hallucinatory exploration of the life of a radical who became one of America’s earliest revolutionary abolitionists.
The award-winning and critically acclaimed London production crosses the Atlantic. "An important groundbreaking play" (Closeup Culture) by decorated playwright NAOMI WALLACE and historian MARCUS REDIKER, features "a riveting performance by MARK POVINELLI" (Broadway World), direction by Royal Shakespeare Company Honorary Associate RON DANIELS, and set design by the acclaimed RICCARDO HERNANDEZ.
"Mark Povinelli is amazing"
Michael Billington
★★★★
"A riveting performance by Povinelli"
Broadway World
★★★★★
"An intimate and immersive storytelling masterclass"
Adventures in Theatreland
★★★★★
"A remarkable piece of storytelling"
Plays to See
★★★★
"A terrific performance"
Reviewsgate
★★★★
"An incredibly beautiful journey along with an amazing actor
North West End
★★★★
"An important groundbreaking play"
Closeup Culture
WINNER
Best Production
Standing Ovation Award
London Pub Theatres
NOMINATION
Solo Performance In A Play
OffWestEnd Awards
Mark Povinelli
BENJAMIN LAY
Mark is most known for his critically acclaimed performance as Torvald Helmer in the OBIE award winning production of Mabou Mines Dollhouse (St. Ann’s Warehouse and International Tour) as well as the premiere of Martha Clarke's Belle Epoque (Lincoln Center) in the lead role of Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. Other theatre includes performances at the Shakespeare Theater, Children's Theater Company, Radio City Music Hall, Oklahoma Lyric Theater, Will Geer Theatricum and UCLA Live.
Film includes Nightmare Alley, Water For Elephants, Mirror Mirror, The Hot Flashes and My Dinner With Herve.
Television includes Modern Family, Criminal Minds, Happyish, Boardwalk Empire, Charmed and Mad Dogs.
Mark became the first little person cast as a series regular on a network sitcom in Are You There, Chelsea?
As a noted social activist, in June 2017, Povinelli was elected President of the Little People of America which promotes awareness, advocacy and medical assistance for individuals with forms of dwarfism.
NAOMI WALLACE
CO-WRITER
MARCUS REDIKER
CO-WRITER
RICCARDO HERNANDEZ
SET DESIGNER
RON DANIELS
DIRECTOR
ISOBEL NICOLSON
COSTUME & PROPS DESIGNER
BILL IRWIN
MOVEMENT DIRECTOR
TBC
LIGHTING DESIGNER
JOHN LEANORD
SOUND DESIGNER
KELLY SCHMIDT
PRODUCTION MANAGER
TBC
STAGE MANAGER
TBC
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER
TBC
TECHNICAL MANAGER
PLAYHOUSE CREATURES
THEATER COMPANY
NEW YORK, PRODUCER
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
QUINTESSENCE
THEATER GROUP
PHILADELPHIA, PRODUCER
ALLISON BRESSI
PRODUCER
ARSALAN SATTARI
PRODUCER
THE RETURN OF BENJAMIN LAY WAS FIRST PERFORMED AT THE
FINBOROUGH THEATRE, LONDON (NEIL MCPHERSON, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR),
PRODUCED BY ARSALAN SATTARI PRODUCTIONS
MARK POVINELLI AND TEAM IN REHEARSALS
FOR THE LONDON PRODUCTION
JUNE 2023
MARK POVINELLI AND DIRECTOR RON DANIELS
JUNE 2023
RON DANIELS, ISOBEL NICOLSON, JOHN LEONARD, MARK POVINELLI, MARCUS REDIKER, AND NAOMI WALLACE, AT FIRST TABLE READ.
LONDON, JUNE 2023
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