The Brothers Size
About The Brothers Size
From Tarell Alvin McCraney, the Academy Award–winning storyteller behind Moonlight, comes a modern-day fable about life after incarceration and the struggles of family, duty, and freedom.
Starring André Holland (Moonlight, Exhibiting Forgiveness) as Ogun Size and featuring Alani iLongwe (Arthur The King) as Oshoosi Size and Malcolm Mays (Snowfall) as Elegba, this new production of The Brothers Size comes on the 20th anniversary of McCraney’s groundbreaking drama.
This intimate, lyrical new production is presented in the round with live music, incorporating the rich storytelling tradition of the Yoruba people of West Africa.
★★★★★
“A magical portrait of Southern masculinity”
—The Guardian
★★★★★
“Bijan Sheibani’s electric, superbly acted revival is magical”
—The Financial Times
“Propulsive, physical theater”
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times
“Stellar”
—TheaterMania
“Tarell Alvin McCraney, who translates buried anguish into monologues of rough delicacy … finds the mythological patterns in lives that have been underrepresented and uncompassionately seen.”
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times
Program Details
Four weeks only! Previews start August 30.
Under 30? Get tickets for $25!
Running time: 90 minutes, no intermission
Late seating and reentry are at the discretion of house management.
This production uses strobe, haze, loud sound effects. It contains strong language, sexual content, and profanity. Recommended for ages 12+.
Please note: Orders are limited to six tickets. All sales are final. Refunds and exchanges are not offered. Guests under 30 years old may purchase up to two tickets for $25 each. Both ticket buyers and their guests must be under the age of 30. Under 30 tickets will be held for pickup at the box office in the lobby starting one hour prior to curtain. A valid photo ID with proof of age must be presented to pick up each ticket. At the discretion of management, failure to show proof of age will result in payment of $135 or a forfeiture of ticket without a refund.
Co-produced by The Shed and Geffen Playhouse
Cast
André Holland is an acclaimed actor and producer, celebrated for his dynamic range and powerful performances across film, television, and theater. He recently starred in The Actor, directed by Duke Johnson, and in Love, Brooklyn, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and opens theatrically on August 29, 2025. Holland can also recently be seen starring in The Dutchman, which premiered at the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival.
His recent film work includes Exhibiting Forgiveness, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, along with acclaimed performances in Passing and High Flying Bird, which he also executive produced.
Holland is widely recognized for his roles in Barry Jenkins’s Academy Award–winning Moonlight and Ava DuVernay’s Selma, earning an NAACP Image Award nomination. His television credits include leading roles in Apple TV+’s The Big Cigar, Netflix’s The Eddy, and Steven Soderbergh’s The Knick.
On stage, he has appeared in Broadway productions of Jitney* and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, and played Othello at Shakespeare’s Globe, and previously made his directorial debut with Dutchmasters.
Whether in television, film, or theater, Alani iLongwe continues to cement himself as one of the most dynamic talents of his generation. Known for exploring the full humanity of vibrantly complex characters, his theater credits include The Brothers Size and Paradise Blue at Geffen Playhouse and productions of August Wilson’s Two Trains Running at Seattle Rep and Arena Stage. Additional theater credits include Matthew Lopez’s The Legend of Georgia McBride (Ensemble Theatre Company), Dominique Morisseau’s Sunset Baby (TheaterWorks Hartford), Robert O’Hara’s Antebellum (Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Helen Hayes Nomination), and Melvin Van Peebles’s Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death and Romeo & Juliet (The Classical Theatre of Harlem). Television credits include Castle, Major Crimes, Blue Bloods, Law & Order: SVU, and Cousins for Life. Film credits include Arthur the King, Woodlawn, Almost Friends, and Life of a King. An accomplished voice over artist, iLongwe can be heard voicing various characters on Cartoon Network/HBO Max’s Jessica’s Big Little World and Nickelodeon’s The Loud House, Casagrandes, and The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish. Additionally, iLongwe is an emerging speculative fiction writer having successfully developed and sold an Afro-Surrealist Civil War musical miniseries to HBO. He is currently a 2025 Voices of Our Nations Arts (VONA) Foundation Fellow.
Malcolm Mays is recognized for his performances in the television series Power Book III: Raising Kanan (Starz) and Snowfall (FX). He was featured in several episodes of Them (Amazon Prime Video) and contributed as both a writer and story editor during the second season of the series. Mays’s project Covers was presented at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where he took on the roles of writer, director, and lead actor. Additionally, he has penned scripts for Warner Bros. such as New Jack City 2 and Ferguson: The Michael Brown Story, as well as Steal Away for Amazon Studios and the LEGO LeBron Sports Movie for Universal Pictures. The Hollywood Reporter recognized Mays as “The Next Big Thing,” solidifying his status as a multitalented artist on the rise.
Munir Zakee is a visionary artist whose work lives at the intersection of rhythm, culture, and storytelling. A powerful presence behind the drum and in front of the lens, Zakee crafts soundscapes that are as emotionally charged as they are rooted in tradition. Whether building immersive live performances, composing for film, or shaping new visual narratives through Solight Productions, Zakee brings a bold, cinematic touch to everything he creates. His journey has led him to collaborate with artists like Erykah Badu, Weedie Braimah, and Christian Scott and to contribute music and appearances to projects for BET, OWN, Marvel’s Black Panther, and Eddie Murphy’s Coming 2 America. With each creation, Zakee expands the language of modern art—fusing drums, vision, and soul into a sound uniquely his own.
Stephen Cofield Jr., Brooklyn born and bred, is an award-winning actor best known for his film work in the indie horror hit Terrifier 3, Zeke, Bid for Love 2, and The Geechee Witch: A Boo Hag Story. His television guest features include The Other Two (HBO Max), Harlem (Amazon Prime Video), Blue Bloods, and FBI: Most Wanted (CBS). His complete filmography includes independent short and feature narratives showcased at Sundance, UrbanWorld, Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, American Black Film Festival, and the Festival International du Film Panafricain in Cannes. In addition to his work in film and television, Cofield has appeared in multiple commercial campaigns for major brands like Spectrum Business, Pella Windows, and Target.
Israel Erron Ford is a stage and screen actor, singer, and songwriter. Recent credits include HBO’s Rap Sh!t, Phoenix (WatchFree+), Pharus in Choir Boy, and the world premiere of Memnon with Classical Theatre of Harlem. A proud alum of Yale School of Drama and Carnegie Mellon University, he recently performed at the 2025 Met Gala with the Silk & Sound Choir. He is grateful to support this production and witness the work of artists he deeply admires. With roots in the South and a voice shaped by both stage and spirit, he holds deep thanks for the chance to be part of this story and space. His debut single, Soft Life, is a hymn for those reclaiming ease… now streaming.
Credits
Sam Allen,* Production Stage Manager
Jessie Marie Bender,* Assistant Stage Manager
Griffin Theater Crew
Ann Comanar, Head Wardrobe
Trevor Dewey, Head Lighting
Josh Galitzer, Head Carpenter
Ryan Moore, Head Audio
Kaitlyn Trusty, Audio Assistant
Luke Simcock, Costume Supervisor
Polk & Co., Press Representatives
Alex Poots, Artistic Director
Madani Younis, Chief Executive Producer
Laura Aswad, Producer
Daisy Peele, Producer of Civic and Institutional Programs
Ben Young, Production Manager
Jerry Pedroza-O’Neill, Production Manager, Events & Rentals
Kellie McMenemon-Schultz, Production Administrator
Tarell Alvin McCraney, Artistic Director
Gil Cates Jr., Executive Director/CEO
The Shed thanks Natalie Imrisek (Framework PT), Lindsay A. Jenkins, and Pro Bono ASL.
The Brothers Size was first produced at the Yale School of Drama in 2006. It was then produced in October 2007 at the Under the Radar Festival at The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director), in association with The Foundry Theater (Melanie Joseph, Artistic Producer), directed by Tea Alagic with design by Tea Alagic & Zane Philstrom, lighting by Burke Brown, with music by Vincent Olivieri; the stage manager was Sarah Hodges.
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. The Shed operates under an agreement between The Shed and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
Backstage crew employees are represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (or I.A.T.S.E.).
The directors and choreographer are members of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Inc., an independent national labor union.
Accessibility
ASL Interpretation
ASL-interpreted performances will take place on September 19 (evening) and September 20 (matinee). To purchase a ticket to these performances, please email accessibility@theshed.org.
Seating
The Shed’s Griffin Theater has accessible seating. Please contact us in advance to discuss your needs and available options by emailing accessibility@theshed.org or calling (646) 455-3494. The Shed’s online ticketing system includes the option to submit accommodation requests and questions.
Assistive Listening
Visitors may check out assistive listening devices at the entrance to the theater. A driver’s license will be held to check out the device.
Contact Us
For questions or other requests, visit the Accessibility page, email accessibility@theshed.org, or call (646) 455-3494.
Thank you to our partners
The Scientific Innovation Partner of The Shed is
The Official Payment Partner of The Shed is
The creation of new work at The Shed is generously supported by the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Commissioning Fund and the Shed Commissioners.
Major support for live productions at The Shed is provided by the Charina Endowment Fund, with additional support from The Shubert Foundation, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor, and the New York State Legislature.
Additional support for The Brothers Size is provided by Sarah Arison.
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