photo by Conrad Khalil
Philadelphia Theatre Company (PTC) (480 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146) is thrilled to bring Academy Award winner, Tony Award nominee, and Philadelphia native Da’Vine Joy Randolph back to her hometown for a special benefit reading of Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune by Terrence McNally on Tuesday, November 26, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.
Directed by Pulitzer Prize winner James Ijames, this one-night event delves into Terrence McNally’s story of love and vulnerability, starring Randolph as Frankie, a guarded waitress, alongside Robert D. DoQui as Johnny, an open-hearted cook. The intimate, two-character play explores intimacy, resilience, and human connection, set inside a modest New York City apartment as the play unfolds over the course of one night. Tickets for the reading that runs two hours and 15 minutes with intermission are available online and through the Philadelphia Theatre Company box office.
This star-studded theatrical event honors PTC’s rich history of premiering new and contemporary plays for the Philadelphia community, as Terrence McNally debuted many of his works at PTC, including the Philadelphia premiere of Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune in the theatre’s 1988-89 season. PTC also looks to expand the future of theater and arts access in the Philadelphia area. This benefit reading supports the theatre’s rich education and community engagement programs, ensuring equitable theatrical learning opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s stage-commanding voice and magnetic force earned a Tony Award nomination for her performance as Oda Mae Brown in Bruce Joel Rubin’s Ghost The Musical (Broadway 2012) as well as an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mary Lamb in the 2024 film The Holdovers. Randolph captured audiences with her breakout role opposite Eddie Murphy in Dolemite Is My Name (Netflix 2019) and most recently completed production on Universal Pictures’ Atlantis (Universal 2024) and Eternity (A24 2024). She is set to appear in Simon West’s Bride Hard and Shadow Force (Lionsgate) and returns for season four of Only Murders in the Building (Hulu). Randolph’s diverse career spans roles in Rustin (Netflix), The Idol (HBO), and On the Come Up (Paramount Players). A Yale School of Drama graduate, Randolph captivates stage and screen audiences, showcasing her talents across dramas, comedies, and musicals.
Randolph portrays the role of Frankie, a pragmatic, cautious person, opposite Robert D. DoQui as Johnny, a dreamer and true believer in fate. DoQui, a 30-year career film, television, and theatre artist, is known for his role as Deputy Winslow in the cult classic film Hatchet III. His most current credits include recurring roles in the Emmy-nominated series Blackbird (Apple TV), The Resident (FOX), and NCIS: New Orleans (CBS). The bi-coastal actor/producer earned a Best Actor nomination for his role as Earnest Knighton, Jr. (Song Of A Man Coming Through/1999 The Big Easy Entertainment Awards) and serves as a stunt double for the legendary actor/comedian Eddie Murphy.
Frankie and Johnny’s director, James Ijames, known for blending humor with thought-provoking narratives, often reimagines classic stories to reflect contemporary struggles and resilience. His Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fat Ham (Broadway 2023), a fresh take on Hamlet, demonstrates his talent for infusing classic tales with modern relevance, particularly addressing Black and queer identities. Building on his reputation for presenting emotional depth throughout his storytelling, director James Ijames brings a fresh vision to Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune.
The story follows Frankie and Johnny on their first date, during which Johnny, who is deeply romantic and open-hearted, instantly connects with Frankie and imagines their future together. Frankie, however, maintains her skepticism of Johnny’s intensity, wary of being hurt again. As the night progresses, Johnny’s persistence and genuine vulnerability begin to break down Frankie’s defenses, leading to raw and honest conversations about their pasts, fears, and hopes for companionship.
“In celebration of PTC’s 50th anniversary, we’re honored to bring this collection of all-star talent to bear on one of the best American plays written in the past half-century, all to benefit our education and community engagement initiatives,” said PTC Artistic Director Tyler Dobrowsky. “We can’t wait to see what the brilliant trio of Da’Vine, Robert, and James will create together!”
Terrence McNally was an American playwright, librettist, and LGBTQ+ trailblazer, described by The New York Times as “the bard of the American Theater.” One of the few playwrights of his generation to successfully pass from the avant-garde to mainstream acclaim, Terrence redefined American playwriting for six decades and was the recipient of five Tony Awards (two for his plays Love! Valour! Compassion! and Master Class, two for the books to his musicals Kiss of the Spider Woman and Ragtime, and the 2019 Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement). He received the 2011 Dramatists Guild Lifetime Achievement Award (he was Vice President of the Guild from 1981 to 2001), the 2015 Lucille Lortel Lifetime Achievement Award, a 1996 induction into the American Theater Hall of Fame, and, in 2018, an induction into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His other accolades include an Emmy Award (Andre’s Mother), two Guggenheim Fellowships, a Rockefeller Grant, four Drama Desk Awards, two Lucille Lortel Awards, two Obie Awards, and three Hull-Warriner Awards. Terrence was an alumnus of Columbia University and received numerous honorary degrees, including from NYU and Juilliard, where he helped create the playwriting program in 1993. His legacy lives on in his plays, musicals, and operas that continue to be performed worldwide, as well as in his papers, which are kept and open to the public at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin.
PTC mounted the world premieres of Master Class, Golden Age, Some Men, and Unusual Acts of Devotion and the Philadelphia regional premieres of Love! Valour! Compassion!, Lips Together, Teeth Apart, Mothers and Sons, and Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. PTC’s Terrence McNally Award supports one Philadelphia-based, early-career playwright with financial resources and a public reading of their play at PTC. PTC’s Terrence McNally Award is supported by The Terrence McNally Foundation.
Support for the 2024-25 season is made possible through the Suzanne Roberts Cultural Development Fund, David & Nancy Colman, Glenn Gundersen, Sally Katz, and Daryl & Ellen Morey.
Info and tickets here.
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