Cast Announced for "The Brothers Size" at Geffen Playhouse

CAST ANNOUNCED FOR “THE BROTHERS SIZE” AT GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE

FEATURING ALANI iLONGWE, MALCOLM MAYS AND SHEAUN McKINNEY

WRITTEN BY TARELL ALVIN McCRANEY AND DIRECTED BY BIJAN SHEIBANI

PREVIEWS BEGIN AUGUST 14 - OPENING NIGHT IS AUGUST 22

LOS ANGELES (June 25, 2024) – Geffen Playhouse today announced the full cast for The Brothers Size, written by Geffen Playhouse Artistic Director and Academy Award winner Tarell Alvin McCraney (In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, Choir Boy) and directed by Olivier Award-nominated Bijan Sheibani (Our Class, Gone Too Far!).

The Geffen Playhouse production of The Brothers Size marks the play’s 20^th anniversary and launches the inaugural season lineup from Artistic Director Tarell Alvin McCraney.

The cast includes Alani iLongwe (Paradise Blue, Arthur the King) as Oshoosi Size, Malcom Mays (Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Snowfall) as Elegba, and Sheaun McKinney (The Neighborhood, Great News) as Ogun Size.

Previews for The Brothers Size begin Wednesday, August 14, 2024, in the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at Geffen Playhouse. Opening night is Thursday, August 22, 2024.

Drawing from the rich tradition of the Yoruba people of West Africa, The Brothers Size is a modern-day fable about two brothers in the Deep South. Ogun, the elder brother, embodies hard work and reliability, while Oshoosi, formerly incarcerated, is seemingly carefree and unpredictable. Their relationship is tested when the charismatic Elegba arrives, tempting Oshoosi back to his old habits. As the brothers wrestle with loyalty, freedom, and duty, their humanity is revealed through a raw and heartfelt exploration of the bonds of brotherhood.

Geffen Playhouse’s Theater as a Lens for Justice initiative provides access to this production and supplementary programs for populations impacted by incarceration and is supported, in part, by Jayne Baron Sherman.

THE BROTHERS SIZE

Written by Tarell Alvin McCraney
Directed by Bijan Sheibani

A Co-Production with The Shed

Previews: August 14, 2024 – August 21,2024
Opening Night: August 22, 2024
Black Out Night: August 28, 2024
Closing Night: September 8, 2024

CAST
Alani iLongwe as Oshoosi Size
Malcolm Mays as Elegba
Sheaun McKinney as Ogun Size

PRODUCTION TEAM
Scenic Designer Suzu Sakai
Costume Designer Dede Ayite
Lighting Designer Adam Honoré
Sound Designer, Composer & Musician Stan Mathabane
Choreographer Juel D. Lane
Associate Director Tyrone Davis
Dramaturg Lindsay A. Jenkins
Production Stage Manager Sam Allen
Casting Director Phyllis Schuringa, CSA

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Monday, Tuesday No performance
Wednesday – Friday 8:00 p.m.
Saturday 3:00 and 8:00 p.m.
Sunday 2:00 and 7:00 p.m.

LOCATION
Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at Geffen Playhouse
10886 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets currently priced at $45.00 - $129.00. Available by phone at 310.208.2028 or online at www.geffenplayhouse.org. Fees may apply.

All Geffen Playhouse productions are intended for an adult audience; children under 10 years of age will not be admitted.

Rush tickets for each day’s performance are made available to the general public one hour before showtime at the box office. $35.00 General/$15.00 Student.

BLACK OUT NIGHT
Black Out Night (Wednesday, August 28 at 8:00 pm) is an intentional creation of space for Black-identifying patrons to experience this powerful Black family drama alongside passionate members of their community. This performance will be followed by a post-show talkback with Geffen Playhouse Artistic Director and The Brothers Size playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney.

COLLEGE AUDIENCES
Through a variety of events and other opportunities, Geffen Playhouse welcomes college students to experience the live storytelling presented on our stages. We are proud of our association with UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television, and open our doors to all college students throughout Los Angeles. More information is available at www.geffenplayhouse.org/college.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Tarell Alvin McCraney (Playwright)
Tarell Alvin McCraney is Artistic Director of Geffen Playhouse. In this role, he is responsible for identifying, developing, and programming new works and re-envisioned classics. He sets the strategic artistic course for the Geffen’s Gil Cates and Audrey Skirball Kenis Theaters. McCraney is an award-winning writer, producer, and educator, best known for his acclaimed trilogy, The Brother/Sister Plays. His script In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue is the basis for the Oscar–winning film Moonlight directed by Barry Jenkins, for which McCraney and Jenkins also won a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar. He is an ensemble member at Steppenwolf Theatre and a member of Teo Castellanos D-Projects in Miami, a graduate of New World School of the Arts, The Theatre School at DePaul University, and the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Warwick. He was recently Co-Chair of Playwriting at the David Geffen School of Drama, where he remains on faculty. He is an associate at the Royal Shakespeare Company, London, and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Writers Branch).

Bijan Sheibani (Director)
Bijan Sheibani is a writer and director of theatre, film, opera, and television. Most recently he directed Till the Stars Come Down for the National Theatre of Great Britain. He also wrote three episodes of One Day for Netflix. His debut play The Arrival premiered at the Bush Theatre in London in 2019. He is currently adapting the play for Film4. His second play The Cord premiered at the Bush Theatre in April 2024. Other recent theatre directing credits include Dance Nation (Almeida Theatre), Barber Shop Chronicles (National Theatre), The Brothers Size (Young Vic), and Circle Mirror Transformation (HOME, Manchester). He has also directed new operas for the Royal Opera House, Aldeburgh Festival, Danish National Opera, Streetwise Opera, and Glyndebourne. Bijan was an associate director at the National Theatre for five years, where his credits include Our Class (Olivier nomination for Best Director), The Kitchen, A Taste of Honey, and Emil and the Detectives. Other theatre credits include The House of Bernarda Alba (Almeida Theatre), Moonlight (Donmar Warehouse), Sons of the Prophet (Hampstead Theatre), and Gone Too Far! (Royal Court Theatre / Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement). He was artistic director of Actors Touring Company from 2007-2010 and won the James Menzies-Kitchin Young Director Award in 2003.

Alani iLongwe (Oshoosi Size)
Alani iLongwe is excited to return to Geffen Playhouse where he last appeared as “P-Sam” in Paradise Blue. Additional theater credits include: Two Trains Running (Seattle Rep/Arena Stage); The Legend of Georgia McBride (Ensemble Theatre Company); Bad Apples (ACT Theatre); Antebellum (Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Helen Hayes nomination); Romeo & Juliet and Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death (Classical Theater of Harlem). Television credits include: Castle (ABC); Major Crimes (TNT); Blue Bloods (CBS); Law & Order: SVU (NBC); Jessica’s Big Little World (Cartoon Network/HBO Max); Cousins for Life, The Casagrandes, The Loud House, and The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish (Nickelodeon). Film credits include: Arthur the King, Woodlawn, Almost Friends, and Life of a King. NYU: B.F.A., The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, Experimental Theatre Wing; Ron Howard Fellowship recipient.

Malcolm Mays (Elegba)
Malcolm Mays is recognized for his performances in the television series Power Book III: Raising Kanan (Starz) and Snowfall (FX). He was featured in several episodes of Them (Amazon Prime Video) and contributed as both a writer and story editor during the second season of the series. Mays’ project Covers presented at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where he took on the roles of writer, director, and lead actor. Additionally, he has penned scripts for Warner Bros. such as New Jack City 2 and Ferguson: The Michael Brown Story, as well as Steal Away for Amazon Studios and the LEGO LeBron Sports Movie for Universal Pictures. The Hollywood Reporter recognized Mays as “The Next Big Thing,” solidifying his status as a multitalented artist on the rise.

Sheaun McKinney (Ogun Size)
Born and raised in Miami, theater found McKinney when he was serendipitously cast as the lead in A Lesson Before Dying at Miami’s GableStage, earning a Carbonell Award nomination for Best Actor in a Play. His credits include—Regional: A Lesson Before Dying, The Brother Size (directed by Tarell Alvin McCraney), and Ruined (GableStage); Gruesome Playground Injuries, Zoo Story, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train, The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel, A House With No Walls, Topdog/Underdog (Ground Up & Rising); Melt (New Theatre); Blue/Orange (Promethean Theatre Ensemble); Who’s Life Is It Anyway? (Inside Out Theatre Company); Spike Heels (MDC Theatre); Streamers (The Public Theater); Hellcab (Studio P.S. 139). Festivals: Moscow x6 (Williamstown Theater Festival). Film: Bitch Ass, Boss Level, Know Thy Enemy, The Bahama Hustle. TV: Sheaun is a series regular on CBS’s The Neighborhood; Snowfall, Winning Time, Room 104, Drunk History, and Vice Principals. Sheaun can be found on Instagram at @SheaunMcKinney.

OPENING NIGHT SPONSOR
Wolfsglen

OPENING NIGHT HOSPITALITY SPONSOR
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey

ABOUT THEATER AS A LENS FOR JUSTICE
Established by Artistic Director Tarell Alvin McCraney and beginning with the 2024/2025 Season, the Theater as a Lens for Justice initiative provides access to theater at Geffen Playhouse for populations impacted by incarceration. Individuals and their families will experience performances throughout the season, supplemented with talkbacks and workshops by theater staff and artistic leaders.

To begin this work, Geffen Playhouse has partnered with UCLA’s Center for Justice and ManifestWorks. This initiative also aims to create employment pathways into the theater industry for formerly incarcerated individuals through internships, mentorships, and professional development.

Theater as a Lens for Justice is supported, in part, by Jayne Baron Sherman.

ABOUT THE SHED
Under the leadership of CEO Meredith “Max” Hodges and founding Artistic Director Alex Poots, The Shed is a cultural institution of and for the 21st century. We produce and welcome innovative art and ideas, across all forms of creativity, to build a shared understanding of our rapidly changing world and a more equitable society. In our highly adaptable building on Manhattan’s West Side, The Shed brings together established and emerging artists to create new work in fields ranging from pop to classical music, painting to digital media, theater to literature, and sculpture to dance. We seek opportunities to collaborate with cultural peers and community organizations, work with like-minded partners, and provide unique spaces for private events. As an independent nonprofit that values invention, equity, and generosity, we are committed to advancing art forms, addressing the urgent issues of our time, and making our work impactful, sustainable, and relevant to the local community, the cultural sector, New York City, and beyond. @TheShedNY www.theshed.org

ABOUT GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE
Geffen Playhouse has been a hub of the Los Angeles theater scene since opening its doors in 1995. Noted for its intimacy and celebrated for its world-renowned mix of classic and contemporary plays, provocative new works and productions, the not-for-profit organization continues to present a body of work that has garnered national recognition. Named in honor of entertainment mogul and philanthropist David Geffen, who made the initial donation to the theater, the company was founded by Gilbert Cates and is currently helmed by Executive Director/CEO Gil Cates, Jr., Artistic Director Tarell Alvin McCraney and Board Chair Adi Greenberg. Proudly associated with UCLA, the Geffen welcomes an audience of more than 130,000 each year, and maintains extensive education and community engagement programs, designed to involve underserved young people and the community at large in the arts. www.geffenplayhouse.org