Rebecca Naomi Jones Rehearses Fire in Dreamland

Rehearsals recently began for the Public Theater's New York premiere of Fire in Dreamland, written by Rinne Groff and directed by Marissa Wolf. Performances begin June 19 and run through August 5 in the Public's Anspacher Theater. Opening night is set for July 16.

Fire in Dreamland is described as follows: "In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, a disillusioned do-gooder named Kate meets Jaap, a charismatic European making a film about the 1911 fire that burned Coney Island's Dreamland amusement park to ashes. Desperate for something to live for, Kate buys a ticket on the thrill ride of Jaap's passion. The only trick is to keep the roller coaster from running off the rails before it destroys them all. Breaking the boundaries of time and narrative, Fire in Dreamland is a vibrant new play that explores the astonishing things we create in the face of devastation."

The cast features Kyle Beltran (A Midsummer Night's Dream) as Lance, Enver Gjokaj (As You Like It) as Jaap Hooft, and Rebecca Naomi Jones (As You Like It) as Kate. The creative team includes scenic and costume design by Susan Hilferty, lighting design by Amith Chandrashaker, and original music and sound design by Brendan Aanes.

Fire in Dreamland was originally commissioned by the Public Theater and Berkeley Repertory Theatre.