Colman Domingo Joined by Oprah Winfrey in Starry Audible Adaptation of His Play “Wild with Happy ”(Exclusive)

Tyler James Williams, Alex Newell and Sharon Washington round out the cast of the drama, which will drop on the streaming audio platform on Thursday, June 13

Presley Ann/Getty; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Colman Domingo (left) and Oprah Winfrey
Presley Ann/Getty; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Colman Domingo (left) and Oprah Winfrey

Colman Domingo has assembled a star-studded, award-winning cast for the audio adaptation of his acclaimed play, Wild with Happy.

PEOPLE can exclusively reveal that the Emmy winning actor and playwright will be joined by Oscar winner Oprah Winfrey in the deeply imaginative dark comedy, as well as Tony winner Alex Newell (Glee), Golden Globe winner Tyler James Williams (Abbott Elementary) and Tony nominee Sharon Washington (New York, New York).

The play, which explores the comedy that lies within death and healing, first premiered at the Public Theater in 2012, in a production that also starred Washington.

It will drop on Audible on Thursday, June 13.

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<p>Audible</p> <em>Wild with Happy</em>

Audible

Wild with Happy

Related: How Colman Domingo’s Late Mother Helped Him Bond with Oprah Winfrey: ‘It’s Magically Eerie’ (Exclusive)

Domingo, who himself received an Oscar nomination for Rustin and a Tony nomination for The Scottsboro Boys, also directs the audio adaptation.

In Wild with Happy, he plays Gil, a struggling NYC actor who heads home to Philadelphia after a breakup and the passing of his mother, Adelaide (Winfrey).

"The plan is to tidy-up her affairs as quickly and efficiently as possible, until a few unpredictably hilarious detours ensue," a plot description reads. "With his Aunt Glo (Washington) insisting on a proper burial, but an urn of ashes already in his hand, Gil’s best friend Mo (Newell) throws him in a car. Aunt Glo and the funeral director (Williams), now Gil’s lover (yes, that happened), follow in hot pursuit. Several states later they all reach their final destination, and Gil’s mom’s final resting place: The one place on earth that made her Wild with Happy."

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<p>Dia Dipasupil/Getty; Jenny Anderson/Getty; Michael Loccisano/Getty</p> From left: Tyler James Williams, Alex Newell and Sharon Washington

Dia Dipasupil/Getty; Jenny Anderson/Getty; Michael Loccisano/Getty

From left: Tyler James Williams, Alex Newell and Sharon Washington

Speaking about the casting in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, Domingo praised his costars, noting, "Reuniting with Sharon Washington and welcoming Oprah Winfrey, Alex Newell, and Tyler James Williams to this ensemble is a dream come true."

"Wild with Happy is about everything that is absurd yet comical about life and death. These themes are perfect to explore in the intimacy of audio, and I’m thrilled to be adapting my play for this medium with the visionary team at Audible," Domingo says. "Just as audio is a space for limitless possibilities, so too is the desire to be ‘wild with happy,’ and I can’t wait for listeners around the globe to join us on this surreal ride."

The production will mark a reunion for Domingo and Winfrey, who worked together on last year's The Color Purple film.

“Colman Domingo’s creativity, humor and soul shines through in Wild with Happy," the talk show giant says in a statement to PEOPLE. "His deeply personal play will leave you laughing and maybe even shedding a few tears, all while savoring his beautiful words that are perfectly suited for the audio listening experience. I’m delighted that listeners can immerse themselves in this gift from such a versatile and inspiring artist as Colman.”

<p>Earl Gibson III/Shutterstock</p> Oprah Winfrey (left) and Colman Domingo at 'The Color Purple' premiere in December 2023

Earl Gibson III/Shutterstock

Oprah Winfrey (left) and Colman Domingo at 'The Color Purple' premiere in December 2023

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Audible in September celebrated the fifth anniversary of Audible Theater.

Since its founding in 2018, the division has presented over 42 live shows at the Minetta Lane Theatre in New York, released more than 114 audio titles globally on Audible, commissioned 50 plus playwrights through its Emerging Playwrights Fund, and received 35 award nominations and 13 wins including Tony, Lortel, Drama Desk and Audie Awards.

A full line-up of programming can be found on Audible Theater's official site.

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