PERFORMANCE DATES
February 12 – March 9
WHERE
The Irene Diamond Stage
The Pershing Square Signature Center
BEGINS FEBRUARY 12 / THE IRENE DIAMOND STAGE
THE PERSHING SQUARE SIGNATURE CENTERÂ
ON THE EVOLUTIONARY FUNCTION OF SHAME
BY
D.A. MINDELL
DIRECTEDÂ BY
JESS MCLEOD
WITH
JORDAN BARBOUR, KAYLI CARTER, ELIZABETH RAMOS, IMANI RUSSELL, CODY SLOAN, RYAN JAMAAL SWAIN
In the beginning, two people got kicked out of a garden for eating fruit. Many years later, Adam—a transgender man expecting a child—meets with his twin sister, Eve, a pioneering scientist. She offers her brother prenatal services from her cutting-edge practice. But what exactly does that entail? And does Adam even want Eve’s help?Â
Written by bold new talent D.A. Mindell and helmed by the refreshingly innovative director Jess McLeod, On the Evolutionary Function of Shame is a compelling exploration of identity, family, and the courage it takes to live authentically, no matter the expectations of society—or those closest to you.Â
This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
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*Across the Boards - Join members of the creative team for a discussion following the performance.
(i) Insider's Night - An exclusive event for 2ST Subscribers. Join us one hour before for wine, hors d’oeuvres, and intimate discussion with one of the show’s designers.
OC - Open Captioned Performance. Text is displayed at the side of the stage in real time, including dialogue and sound effects from the production.
AD - Audio Described Performance. Using special audio equipment, commentary and narration is provided during the performance, guiding the listener through the show with descriptions of scenes, costumes, etc. in between dialogue or songs.
JORDAN BARBOUR
Broadway/NY: The Inheritance, Come From Away, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar (TFANA), Marry Me a Little (Drama League) Tours: A Strange Loop, Come From Away, Peter Brooks’ The Suit, The Shipment., Regional: Diversionary Theater, Sacramento Music Circus, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Denver Center, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Syracuse Stage, Studio Theater, Pasadena Playhouse, Williamstown. VO: Black Panther (Marvel’s Mech Strike), Dr. Doom (Marvel’s Doom Protocol).  Solo Shows: This African-American Life with Ezra Glass and I Definitely Need Therapy Â
KAYLI CARTER
Kayli Carter is a New York-based actor with a BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design. She can currently be seen in I'll Be Right There with Edie Falco. Her notable works include Let Him Go, Bad Education, and Private Life, for which she earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination. She's appeared in TV series like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Mrs. America, and Godless, and performed on stage in Mary Page Marlowe and Nice Fish.Â
ELIZABETH RAMOS
Elizabeth Ramos (Eve 1): Off-Broadway: I Wanna F*ck Like Romeo & Juliet (New Light Theatre Project), On That Day In Amsterdam (Primary Stages), Three Sisters (Sheen Center), Then They Forgot About the Rest (INTAR, Dir. David Mendizábal); The Idea of Me (Cherry Lane Theatre), A Month in the Country (CSC). Regional: RADICAL, or are you gonna miss me? (IAMA), ASS (PTC), Native Gardens (Gulfshore); Miss Bennet: Christmas At Pemberley (PTC), Tiny Beautiful Things (Long Wharf); The Bridge of San Luis Rey (Two River Theatre); Fade (TheaterWorks). Television/ Film: "Poker Face", "The Daily Show", “Law and Order: SVU”, Stag. Training: Actors Theatre of Louisville Apprenticeship and BFA from CSU Fullerton.Â
IMANI RUSSELL
Imani Russell (They/Them) is a multi-hyphenate artist from Crown Heights, NY (Lenapehoking). They recently made their Broadway debut as Mel in How to Dance in Ohio, a groundbreaking new musical. Imani has also performed off-Broadway, at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and is an emerging voice actor. In 2024, under the name NANĂ, they released their debut album Cowboy Song, exploring their growth as a trans storyteller. Here’s to all the music and magic that lies within! www.imanirussell.com | @imanithecowboyÂ
CODY SLOAN
Off Broadway: Seven Deadly Sins, (Tectonic Theatre Project, dir. MoisĂ©s Kaufman). Select regional: World premiere of Becoming A Man, (American Repertory Theater, dir. Diane Paulus), As You Like It (La Jolla Playhouse, dir. Chris Ashley & Will Davis), Men on Boats (SpeakEasy Stage), A Noise Within Theatre, Center Repertory Theater, Diversionary Theatre, and others. He has developed new plays at IAMA Theatre, the Kennedy Center, MTA Playwrights Lab, Huntington Theatre Company, UCSD, and others. Film: Selah and The Spades (Amazon, Sundance Film Festival 2019), Birder (TLA Releasing), and Thalia (upcoming). MFA in Acting: University of California, San Diego. codysloanactor.com Â
RYAN JAMAAL SWAIN
Ryan Jamaal Swain (Fox) is an actor & activist. Most notably, Ryan portrayed Damon on the critically acclaimed & award winning FX series Pose. Ryan has been awarded numerous accolades for his LGBTQIA+ advocacy by The Human Rights Campaign, Forbes, TV One’s UrbanOne Honors, The Trevor Project, and GLAAD. Some of his favorite theater credits include …what the end will be (Audelco Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play), Choir Boy (Broadway), and Six Degrees of Separation. Other TV Credits: Showtime's The First Lady. Ryan’s makes his feature film debut in 1 Million Followers on Amazon Prime and Apple TV October 25. Training: Howard University.
BY D.A. MINDELL
D.A. Mindell (Playwright) is a playwright and educator based in Manhattan while pursuing his MFA at Columbia University. His work aims to contribute to a canon for transgender artists to explore the breadth and depth of opportunity that cis artists have been able to pursue for centuries. He is thrilled to be working with Second Stage again after participating in the 2024 Next Stage Reading Series. Recent recognition includes participation in the 2024 //dareCommission for Breaking the Binary Theatre, First Kiss Theatre's Summer 2024 Residency, and the 2023 Fair Play Initiative Commission through Florida Atlantic University. He wants to express his immense gratitude for his ability to share his work with the world, as well as his solidarity with those struggling to do so, including the artists of the Jenin Freedom Theatre.
DIRECTED BY JESS MCLEOD
Jess McLeod (Director)  is a first-generation Korean/Filipina/Scottish director & social justice advocate specializing in risky new work about America. NYCLU/Creatives Rebuild Artist-In-Residence; Roundabout Refocus Project Curator; Woolly Mammoth BOLD Resident Director; Resident Director, Hamilton Chicago. Recent NY credits include Atlantic, Roundabout, MTC, EST and Little Island. Regional credits include Steppenwolf, Woolly Mammoth, Alliance, Goodman, Lyric Opera of Chicago, IAMA, Victory Gardens, San Diego Rep, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Long Wharf, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Chicago Shakes, The Gift, A Red Orchid Theatre and developmental work at the O’Neill, NAMT, WTF and The Ground Floor at Berkeley Rep. Jess also works frequently at the intersection of art & activism, and has created operas with community groups (Lyric), the #STOPASIANHATE video campaign for NY Rep. Grace Meng’s 3/26 Day of Action & Healing (co-creator) and curated Broadway Advocacy Coalition’s inaugural Arts In Action Festival. She recently served as Co-Chair, with Michael Korie, of the Dramatists Guild Foundation’s Musical Theatre Fellows and is currently under commission at La Jolla Playhouse. MFA, Northwestern. www.jess-mcleod.com | @mcjessmc Â