Quentin Earl Darrington (Copyright David Gordon)
It was announced today that a private, invitation only industry reading of the new musical Mandela will be held on Thursday, March 14th and Friday, March 15th in proud partnership with the Mandela family. Mandela has music and lyrics by two South African composer/lyricists Greg Dean Borowsky and Shuan Borowsky, with a book by Laiona Michelle (Little Girl Blue: The Nina Simone Musical, and Amazing Grace) and the reading will be directed by Schele Williams (RENT, Motown: The Musical).
This special industry reading will be attended by Nandi Mandela, Nelson Mandela's granddaughter, on behalf of the Mandela family who have officially partnered with the show. The company includes a combination of both South African and American performers. Leading the reading is Quentin Earl Darrington (Once on This Island, CATS) as Nelson Mandela, Sasha Allen (HAIR, Pippin) as Winnie Mandela and Jeremy Landon Hays (The Phantom of the Opera) as The Warden
The cast also includes Emmanuel Castis, Carrie Compere (The Color Purple), Alvin Crawford, Emerson Davis, Ntomb'khona Dlamini, Jason Forbach, Alexa Green, Bonita Hamilton (The Lion King), Atandwa Kani, Elijah Ahmad Lewis, Micailah Lockhart, Vishal Vaidya, Antonio J. Watson, and Mia Mei Williams.
Mandela explores the epic story of Nelson Mandela’s political struggle to lead South Africa out of Apartheid into democracy and freedom, as well as the exceptionally powerful, personal story of what Madiba and his loved ones endured as a family throughout the years of struggle for the liberation of South Africa.
To learn more about this new show that is still in development head to MandelaTheMusical.com