Late at night, deep in the woods of southern Illinois, a ghost tells Gail she will die within the next 24 hours. So begins The Refuge Plays, an epic tale that follows one Black family over 70 years. Written by Nathan Alan Davis, this bold reimagining of an American “family play” is full of humor, heart and surprises. Patricia McGregor directs.
Running time: Three hours and thirty minutes, including two intermissions.
The Refuge Plays Cast
- Joy
- Ngozi Anyanwu
- Reginald
- Jerome Preston Bates
- Gail
- Jessica Frances Dukes
- Walking Man
- Jon Michael Hill
- Symphony
- Mallori Taylor Johnson
- Clydette
- Lizan Mitchell
- Early
- Nicole Ari Parker
- Crazy Eddie
- Daniel J. Watts
- Dax
- Lance Coadie Williams
- Ha-Ha
- JJ Wynder-Wilkins
- u/s Walking Man/Ha-Ha
- Stanley Andrew Jackson
- u/s Joy/Symphony
- Kashayna Johnson
- u/s Crazy Eddie/Dax/Reginald
- Julian Rozzell
- u/s Clydette/Gail
- Rokia Shearin
- u/s Early
- Britney Nicole Simpson
The Refuge Plays Creative
- Playwright
- Nathan Alan Davis
- Director
- Patricia McGregor
- Set Design
- Arnulfo Maldonado
- Costume Design
- Emilio Sosa
- Lighting Design
- Stacey Derosier
- Original Music & Sound Design
- Marc Anthony Thompson
- Hair & Wig Design
- Earon Nealey
- Makeup Design
- J. Jared Janas
- Voice Coach
- Kate Wilson
- Composer & Vocal Soundscapes
- Imani Uzuri
- Movement
- Paloma McGregor
- Fight Director
- Sordelet Inc. / Rick Sordelet
- The Refuge Plays Dramaturg
- Anna Morton Stacey
- Production Stage Manager
- Katie Ailinger

The company of THE REFUGE PLAYS during the first rehearsal.
Pat Budris
Director Patricia McGregor hugs actors Ngozi Anyanwu and Daniel J. Watts.
Pat Budris
Playwright Nathan Alan Davis and actor Jessica Frances Dukes.
Pat Budris
The company of THE REFUGE PLAYS.
Pat Budris
Imani Uzuri (Composer & Vocal Soundscapes), actor Lizan Mitchell, and actor Ngozi Anyanwu.
Pat Budris
Actors Daniel J. Watts and Ngozi Anyanwu.
Pat Budris
Imani Uzuri (Composer & Vocal Soundscapes) and Marc Anthony Thompson (Original Music and Sound Designer)
THEATRE TALK
Learn more about the history of the production and its creators through a lively discussion with Roundabout Teaching Artists.
The Refuge Plays is produced in association with New York Theatre Workshop.
New York Theatre Workshop is a community of artists and audience members who believe in the transformative power of theatre. For 40 years, New York Theatre Workshop has cultivated a space where our common humanity is affirmed—where audiences are both challenged and delighted by the daring vision of our artists.
Major support for The Refuge Plays is provided by the Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater.
- Alec Baldwin
James Costa and John Archibald
Linda L. D’Onofrio
Peggy and Mark Ellis
Joele Frank and Larry Klurfeld
Carson Gleberman
Sylvia Golden
Jeanne Hagerty
Angelina Lippert
Iva Mills
K. Myers
Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater
Mary Solomon
Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust

Presented at
Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre
Laura Pels Theatre
111 West 46th Street, New York, NY
between 6th and 7th Avenues