Heidi Schreck, Bobby Cannavale and Phylicia Rashad in ‘Spotlight on Plays’ spring series

Casting for the first two plays of the season has been confirmed.

Following the news of a spring series putting plays in the spotlight from Broadway's Best Shows, casting for the first two shows has been announced. This season's Spotlight On Plays will launch with The Thanksgiving Play on March 25 and then Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous from April 9.

Larissa FastHorse's The Thanksgiving Play follows a group planning an event that celebrates Native Americans and "Turkey Day" without misappropriation. FastHorse's comedy play made its off-Broadway debut in 2018, with David Walters saying: "The writing is clear, there are witty moments, funny situations and thought-provoking statements." 

For the streamed event, Heidi Schreck will play Logan, recently starring in her play What The Constitution Means to Me. The Lifespan Of A Fact's Bobby Cannavale will play Jaxton, with Keanu Reeves as Caden and Alia Shawkat as Alicia. The Thanksgiving Play will premiere on March 25.

Pearl Cleage's Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous will follow, with Phylicia Rashad playing Anna, an elderly actress working with a younger woman in a role she once played. Rashad is joined by sister Debbie Allen as Betty, with Heather Alicia Simms as Kate and Alicia Stith as Pete, with direction by Camille A. Brown. Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous premieres on April 9.

Other plays in the series include Watch on the Rhine by Lillian Hellman, Ohio State Murders by Adrienne Kennedy, Dear Elizabeth by Sarah Ruhl, The Baltimore Waltz by Paula Vogel and The Sisters Rosensweig by Wendy Wasserstein.

A trailer for the upcoming Spotlight on Plays series is available below.

^{Photo credit: Heidi Schreck and Bobby Cannavale (Photos courtesy of IBDB)}