Qui Nguyen’s Poor Yella Rednecks Announces MTC Casting

Manhattan Theatre Club has announced complete casting for the New York premiere of Poor Yella Rednecks, written by Qui Nguyen and directed by May Adrales (who also directed Nguyen’s Vietgone at MTC in 2016). Previews will begin October 10 ahead of a November 1 opening at New York City Center – Stage I.

The cast of Poor Yella Rednecks will feature Jon Hoche (Vietgone, Life of Pi), Ben Levin (Vietgone, “Kung Fu”), Samantha Quan (Vietgone), Jon Norman Schneider (The Coast Starlight), Maureen Sebastian (The Best We Could: A Family Tragedy), and Paco Tolson (Vietgone).

The play is described as follows: “A young Vietnamese family attempts to put down roots in Arkansas, a place as different from home as it gets. A mom and dad balance big hopes and low-wage jobs, as old flings threaten to pull them apart. It all makes for a bumpy road to the American dream. From the world of Nguyen’s Vietgone, with its comic book and action movie influences, comes a play that melds a deeply personal story with the playwright’s trademark, killer humor.”

Poor Yella Rednecksis co-commissioned by South Coast Repertory and Manhattan Theatre Club. The creative team will include Tim Mackabee (scenic design), Valérie Thérèse Bart (costume design), Lap Chi Chu (lighting design), Shane Rettig (original music and sound design), Jared Mezzocchi (projection design), David Valentine (puppet design), Kenny Seymour (arrangements), and Alyssa K. Howard (production stage manager).