Ron Canada, Marcia Cross, and Bryan Batt to Lead Pay the Writer Off-Broadway

Pay the Writer, a new comedy-drama by New York Times bestselling author Tawni O’Dell (Back Roads), will have its off-Broadway world premiere this summer at the Pershing Square Signature Center. The seven-week limited engagement, directed by Karen Carpenter, will begin previews August 13 with a special benefit performance for the Writers Guild of America ahead of an August 21 opening.

Focusing on the complicated relationship between a legendary literary agent and his best friend-turned-most-successful client, Pay the Writer will star Ron Canada (Network), Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Marcia Cross (Desperate Housewives), and Bryan Batt (Mad Men). Rounding out the cast are Steven Hauck (The Velocity of Autumn) as Jean Luc, Miles G. Jackson (Chicken & Biscuits) as Young Bruston/Taz, Garrett Turner (Tina — The Tina Turner Musical) as Young Cyrus, Danielle J. Summons (Baby) as Gigi, and Stephen Payne (Of Mice and Men) as Homeless Man.

The story is described as follows: “Bruston Fischer (Bryan Batt) is a young gay man suffering from social persecution while trying to make it in publishing when he first meets Cyrus Holt (Ron Canada) some 40 years earlier. Cyrus is a gifted Black writer trying to get his talent noticed in a world that wants to ignore his existence. Through their unique friendship, the pair find literary success and the most stable relationship either will ever have. Yet when talent, business and love intertwine, missteps occur and, inevitably regrets often follow. Triumph and loss become blurred as we sort through the challenges of the human condition. Pay the Writer is a heartrending and funny exploration of personal and artistic legacy while navigating life’s final chapter.”

The creative team for Pay the Writer includes scenic design by Tony winner David Gallo, costume design by Tony nominee David C. Woolard, lighting design by Tony winner Christopher Akerlind, sound design and production management by Bill Toles, and props by Yuki Nakamura.

Pay the Writer is not a production of Signature Theatre.