(Black PR Wire) LOS ANGELES - OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network has announced the addition of five new cast members to the ensemble of its upcoming lyrical drama "David Makes Man," the television debut from Academy Award winner Tarell Alvin McCraney ("Moonlight"). Additionally, four directors have been tapped to helm episodes of the premiere season of the series which is produced by Warner Horizon Scripted Television.

Alana Arenas will join the cast in a series regular role, while Gillian Williams, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Elvis Nolasco and Randy Gonzalez will appear as recurring guest stars. The roster of talented directors joining the one-hour drama include Michael Francis Williams, Kiel Adrian Scott, Daina Reid and Cheryl Dunye.

McCraney serves as executive producer of the series alongside Dee Harris-Lawrence ("Shots Fired," "Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G.,") who serves as showrunner.

Mike Kelley and Melissa Loy ("Revenge,") under their Page Fright production banner, Michael B. Jordan ("Creed") via his Outlier Society Productions and Oprah Winfrey are also executive producers.

"David Makes Man" centers on a 14-year-old prodigy from the projects who is haunted by the death of his closest friend and relied on by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty. He must choose between the streets that raised him or the higher education that may offer him a way out. Set in South Florida, the series, inspired by events in McCraney's own life, explores the inherent trauma sustained in the fight for survival.

The series is produced by Page Fright and Outlier Society Productions in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television. It is currently in production in Orlando, Florida and set for a 2019 premiere on OWN.

About OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. Oprah Winfrey's heart and creative instincts inform the brand and the magnetism of the channel.  OWN is a leading destination for premium scripted and unscripted programming from today's most innovative storytellers. OWN's original scripted series include popular dramas "Queen Sugar," "Greenleaf," "The Have and Have Nots, "If Loving You is Wrong," hit sitcom "The Paynes," new romantic drama "Love Is __" and upcoming dramas "David Makes Man" and "Ambitions." OWN's Saturday night unscripted programming lineup includes "Iyanla: Fix My Life," "Book of John Gray," "Black Love" and recently announced "Ready to Love." OWN connects with its audience wherever they are, inspiring conversation among a global community of like-minded viewers on social media and beyond.  Launched on January 1, 2011, OWN is a joint venture between Harpo, Inc. and Discovery Communications.  The venture also includes the award-winning digital platform Oprah.com.  Access OWN anytime, anywhere on  WatchOWN.tv or across mobile devices and connected TVs.  For more information, please visit www.oprah.com/own and https://press.discovery.com/us/own/.

About Warner Horizon Scripted Television

A division of the Warner Bros. Television Group, Warner Horizon Scripted Television was founded in 2006 and is one of the entertainment industry's leading producers of dramatic and comedic programming for the cable and subscription/on-demand marketplace. Series produced by Warner Horizon Scripted Television include Animal Kingdom and Claws for TNT; American Woman for Paramount Network; Famous in Love and Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists for Freeform; Fuller House for Netflix; Krypton for SYFY; David Makes Man, Love Is___, and Queen Sugar for OWN; Pennyworth for EPIX; and You for Lifetime.

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