Rehearsals Begin for West Coast Premiere of the MCC Theater Production of "Table 17"

REHEARSALS BEGIN FOR WEST COAST PREMIERE OF THE MCC THEATER PRODUCTION OF “TABLE 17” AT GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE

FEATURING GAIL BEAN, BIKO EISEN-MARTIN AND MICHAEL RISHAWN

WRITTEN BY DOUGLAS LYONS AND DIRECTED BY ZHAILON LEVINGSTON

PREVIEWS BEGIN NOVEMBER 5 - OPENING NIGHT IS NOVEMBER 13

LOS ANGELES (October 7, 2025) – Rehearsals begin today for Geffen Playhouse’s west coast premiere of the MCC Theater production of Table 17, written by Douglas Lyons (Chicken & Biscuits, Parade) and directed by Zhailon Levingston (Cats: The Jellicle Ball; Tina: The Tina Turner Musical). Table 17 is produced in association with Mark Cortale.

The cast includes Gail Bean (Snowfall, P-Valley) as Jada; Biko Eisen-Martin (soft, East New York) as Dallas; and Michael Rishawn (Ain’t No Mo’,FBI: Most Wanted)as River, Eric & Others

Previews for Table 17 begin Wednesday, November 5, 2025, in the Gil Cates Theater at Geffen Playhouse. Opening night is Thursday, November 13, 2025.

If your ex called, would you answer? Jada and Dallas were once engaged—now, they’re meeting for dinner to untangle the past. Between cheeky waiters, old wounds, and the undeniable spark that still lingers between them, their “casual” reunion may ignite a bomb neither of them can defuse. Fresh off its hit Off-Broadway debut and from the creative minds of Douglas Lyons and Zhailon Levingston this witty new play serves up romance, regrets, and the unexpected possibility of second chances.

A limited number of table seats are available for each performance at 'Bianca’s Restaurant,' located on the Gil Cates Theater stage, offering audience members a unique and immersive theatrical experience.

Geffen Playhouse is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Department of Arts and Culture.

The MCC Theater Production of
TABLE 17
Written by Douglas Lyons
Directed by Zhailon Levingston
Produced in Association with Mark Cortale

Previews: November 5, 2025 – November 12, 2025
Opening Night: November 13, 2025
Closing Night: December 7, 2025

CAST
Gail Bean as Jada
Biko Eisen-Martin as Dallas
Michael Rishawn as River, Eric & Others

PRODUCTION TEAM
Scenic Designer Jason Sherwood
Costume Designer Devario D. Simmons
Lighting Designer Ben Stanton
Sound Designer Christopher Darbassie
Hair & Wig Designer Nikiya Mathis
Composer Tre Matthews
Associate Director Rosalind Bevan
Production Stage Manager Sam Allen
Assistant Stage Manager Lydia Runge
Los Angeles Casting by Phyllis Schuringa, CSA

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Monday, Tuesday No performance*
Wednesday, Thursday 7:30 p.m.**
Friday 8:00 p.m.
Saturday 3:00 and 8:00 p.m.
Sunday 2:00 and 7:00 p.m.

*There will be a performance on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.

**There will be no performance on Thursday, November 27, 2025.

LOCATION
Gil Cates Theater at Geffen Playhouse
10886 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets currently priced at $36.00 - $139.00. Available by phone at 310.208.2028 or online at www.geffenplayhouse.org. Fees may apply.

All Geffen Playhouse productions are intended for an adult audience; children under 10 years of age will not be admitted.

Rush tickets for each day’s performance are made available to the general public one hour before showtime at the box office. $40.00 General/$20.00 Student.

COLLEGE AUDIENCES

Through a variety of events and other opportunities, Geffen Playhouse welcomes college students to experience the live storytelling presented on our stages. We are proud of our association with UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television, and open our doors to all college students throughout Los Angeles. More information is available at www.geffenplayhouse.org/college.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Douglas Lyons (Playwright)
Douglas Lyons is a two-time Emmy–nominated multi-hyphenate artist. As a writer, he earned a GLAAD Media Award nomination for his Broadway playwriting debut, Chicken & Biscuits, which was the second-most produced play in America in 2022-2023. His most recent play, Table 17, which premiered Off-Broadway at MCC Theater, was deemed a New York Times Critic’s Pick and won two 2024 AUDELCO Awards for Best Playwright and Outstanding Ensemble, two Lucille Lortel Awards, and an Outer Critics Circle Award. Douglas served as a writer on both seasons of Apple TV+’s Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock. His Broadway acting and touring credits include The Book of Mormon, plus the original casts ofBeautiful: The Carole King Musical, the recent Tony Award–winning Broadway revival of Parade, RENT, and Dreamgirls. As a composer-lyricist, his music and lyrics have been featured on Nickelodeon, BET+, Apple TV+, CBS, Audible, and more. His other written stage works include Don’t Touch My Hair (IAMA Theatre Company), Polkadots (Off Broadway Alliance Award Winner Best Family Show, Atlantic Theater Company), Beau the Musical (Out of the Box Theatrics), the world premiere of Five Points (Theater Latté Da), and more. He is currently developing television with Skydance and Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort. www.douglaslyons.net IG: @chocolatehipster

Zhailon Levingston (Director)
Zhailon Levingston is a Louisiana-raised storyteller and director. He is a board member for the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, which received an honorary Tony Award in 2021. Zhailon is also the Artistic Director of Inheritance Theatre Project. Select credits include: Tina: The Tina Turner Musical (Broadway), Hadestown (Korea), The Wiz Jr. (The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati), Chicken & Biscuits (Broadway), Patience (Second Stage Theatre), Little Miss Perfect (Goodspeed Musicals), Cats: The Jellicle Ball (Perelman Performing Arts Center).

Gail Bean (Jada)
Gail Bean is an NAACP Image Award–winning actress best known for her roles in television and film. She gained widespread recognition for her performance as “Wanda Bell” in the hit FX series Snowfall. Bean has also appeared in notable favorites P-Valley, Harlem, and Insecure, to name a few. With a passion for storytelling, she brings a vibrant and authentic energy to all her roles. Known for her versatile acting skills, she has built a reputation for portraying complex characters with depth and authenticity. Bean continues to rise in prominence within Hollywood, taking on more significant roles across various genres. She recently returned to stage and will have her LA theater debut at Geffen Playhouse with Tony Award–winning director Zhailon Levingston for Douglas Lyons’ Table 17 this winter. Gail Bean is the current generation of young Hollywood. She’s not just dynamic onscreen, Bean is equally amazing off camera—with her non-profit, Dream Above the Influence, Bean uplifts the community through youth mentorship, resources and exposure to greater opportunities.

Biko Eisen-Martin (Dallas)
Off-Broadway: MCC Theater world premieres of Table 17 (AUDELCO Award winner) and soft (Lucille Lortel and AUDELCO nominations); The Public Theater, LAByrinth Theater Company, Rattlestick Theater, Ensemble Studio Theatre, 59E59, and more. Regional: “Hamlet” in Hamlet at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival; The Old Globe, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Studio Theatre, Folger Theatre, Crossroads Theatre Company, Arden Theatre Company, Syracuse Stage, Long Wharf Theatre, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Chautauqua Theater Company, Campo Santo, and more. TV/Film: East New York (CBS), Buck (Sundance), Modern Love (Amazon Prime Video), Power Book II: Ghost (Starz), Blue Bloods (CBS), Dietland (AMC). B.A./M.A.T. Brown University; M.F.A. National Theatre Conservatory. @saybiko

Michael Rishawn (River, Eric & Others)
Michael Rishawn is an award-winning, classically trained actor whose work spans Broadway, television, film, voiceover, and performance capture. He is the recipient of a Lucille Lortel Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, and Drama Desk recognition, celebrated for bringing emotional truth and commanding presence to every role. Stage highlights include originating roles in Table 17 (MCC Theater), Handjob (Echo Theater Company), and Broadway’s Ain’t No Mo’, produced by Lee Daniels. On screen, he has appeared in FBI: Most Wanted, BUNK’D, And Just Like That…, Raising Dion, Survival of the Thickest, and Crutch, alongside indie gems like The Send Off. His versatility extends to audiobook narration for Audible, performance capture in the WWE 2K22 franchise, and commercial campaigns for nationally recognized American brands. He holds an M.F.A. from UC San Diego and has also performed at Carnegie Hall.

2025/2026 SEASON SPONSOR
S. Mark Taper Foundation

PRODUCTION SPONSOR
City National Bank

ABOUT GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE
Geffen Playhouse has been a hub of the Los Angeles theater scene since opening its doors in 1995. Noted for its intimacy and celebrated for its world-renowned mix of classic and contemporary plays, provocative new works and second productions, the not-for-profit organization continues to present a body of work that has garnered national recognition. Named in honor of entertainment mogul and philanthropist David Geffen, who made the initial donation to the theater, the company was founded by Gilbert Cates and is currently helmed by Executive Director/CEO Gil Cates, Jr., Artistic Director Tarell Alvin McCraney and Board Chair Adi Greenberg. Proudly associated with UCLA, the Geffen welcomes an audience of more than 130,000 each year, and maintains extensive education and community engagement programs, designed to involve underserved young people and the community at large in the arts. www.geffenplayhouse.org

ABOUT MARK CORTALE
Mark Cortale recently produced the Broadway premiere of the six-time Tony–nominated musical Floyd Collins by Adam Guettel and Tina Landau with Lincoln Center Theater. In September of 2024 he produced Table 17 at MCC Theater starring two-time Tony–winner Kara Young which won an Outer Critics Circle Award and two Lucille Lortel Awards. Also in 2024, he produced the three-time Tony–nominated musical Days of Wine and Roses on Broadway, with music and lyrics by Adam Guettel and book by Craig Lucas. In 2020, Mark founded the developmental theatre lab New Works Provincetown. In conjunction with producing partners Jonathan Murray and Harvey Reese, he has commissioned five works to date including Beautiful Little Fool with a book by Mona Mansour and music and lyrics by Hannah Corneau. This new musical directed by Michael Greif will have its world premiere at the Southwark Playhouse in London this January.

ABOUT MCC THEATER
MCC Theater is one of New York’s leading nonprofit Off-Broadway companies, driven by a mission to provoke conversations that have never happened and otherwise never would. Founded in 1986 by Bob LuPone (1946-2022) and Bernie Telsey, and later joined by co-Artistic Director Will Cantler, MCC fulfills its mission through producing new plays and musicals that challenge artists and audiences to confront contemporary issues. Celebrated MCC Theater productions include Emmanuelle Mattana’s Trophy Boys, Douglas Lyons’ Table 17, the world premiere of Jason Robert Brown’s The Connector, Gavin Creel’s Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice, Hansol Jung’s Lucille Lortel Award–winning Wolf Play, Jocelyn Bioh’s School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play; Robert Askins’ Hand to God (Broadway transfer; five 2015 Tony Award nominations), and many more. MCC’s playwright development initiatives foster the next generation of theater artists, and education initiatives impact thousands of students through innovative programs and partnerships.