Hurt Village, by Katori Hall, at the Signature

Signature Theatre has announce the initial casting for the world premiere production of Katori Hall's Hurt Village, directed by Patricia McGregor, opening on 27 Feb 2012, following previews from 7 Feb 2012, and running through to 18 Mar 2012.

Hurt Village is the inaugural production in the The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre at the new Signature Center.

Directed by Patricia McGregor, the cast will feature Marsha Stephanie Blake, Amari Cheatom, Nicholas Christopher, Corey Hawkins, Ron Cephas Jones, Joaquina Kalukango, Tonya Pinkins and Saycon Sengbloh, with additional casting to still be announced.

Hurt Village: It's the end of a long summer in Hurt Village, a housing project in Memphis, Tennessee. A government Hope Grant means relocation for many of the project's residents, including Cookie, a thirteen year-old aspiring rapper, along with her mother Crank and great-grandmother Big Mama. As the family prepares to move, Cookie's father Buggy unexpectedly returns from a tour of duty in Iraq. Ravaged by the war, Buggy struggles to find a position in his disintegrating community, along with a place in his daughter's wounded heart.

The show will have set design by David Gallo, costume design by Clint Ramos, lighting by Sarah Sidman and sound by Rob Kaplowitz.