BERKSHIRE THEATRE FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FINAL 2009 CASTING

Posted May 28, 2009

Broadway actresses Veanne Cox and Lisa Emery join BTF’s 81st Season

Stockbridge, MA – Berkshire Theatre Festival Artistic Director Kate Maguire is pleased to announce the outstanding artists slated to complete the Festival’s 2009 Season. Tony nominees Veanne Cox (Caroline, or Change, Jeanne Paulsen (The Kentucky Cycle), and Alice Playten (Henry, Sweet Henry) will play opposite already announced Stephen DeRosa in The Prisoner of Second Avenue. Broadway actress and Tony Nominee Mia Dillon (Crimes of the Heart) and BTF alum Tara Franklin will be joining popular BTF actors David Adkins, Randy Harrison, and Jonathan Epstein in the brand new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts. Broadway actress Lisa Emery will join BTF favorite Michel Gill and an ensemble cast in Sick.

Veanne Cox will play the role of Edna Edison in The Prisoner of Second Avenue by Neil Simon. Her Broadway credits include The Dinner Party, Company, and Smile. Jeanne Paulsen, well-known for her Broadway roles in Faith Healer, Angels in America, and The Crucible, will be making her BTF debut as Jessie. Alice Playten will join the cast as Pearl. She was a part of the original Broadway companies of Oliver! and Hello Dolly. One of the founding members of the American Repertory Theatre, Cynthia Darlow will join the cast as Pauline. Her Broadway credits include Present Laughter, Sex and Longing, Prelude to a Kiss, and the original production of Grease. Julian Gamble, will make his BTF debut as Harry Edison and has appeared in several shows on Broadway including The Seagull, Democracy, and The Invention of Love.

Last seen in Noël Coward in Two Keys, Tony nominated actress Mia Dillon joins the Ghosts cast alongside previously announced Randy Harrison. Her Broadway credits include Our Town, The Miser, and Hay Fever. David Adkins, currently playing the role of Teddy in Faith Healer, was seen as Vladimir in last summer’s hit production of Waiting for Godot. Jonathan Epstein, a longtime BTF actor, has most recently been performing in the pre-Broadway tour of Dirty Dancing. Previously seen in The Caretaker, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and Educating Rita, he will play Engstrand. Tara Franklin, will be reuniting with Epstein and Harrison. She worked with them previously in Educating Rita and Amadeus.

Lisa Emery will be joining the already announced Greg Keller in this season’s black comedy Sick, written by Zayd Dohrn. Among her many credits, Emery has appeared in The Women, Present Laughter, and Rumors on Broadway. Emery has also been featured in the NY production of Smell of the Kill, which premiered at BTF. Michel Gill last seen at BTF in Candida, will also be part of the cast. Gill’s on and Off Broadway credits include A Man For All Seasons, The Milliner, and Speaking in Tongues. Rounding out the cast will be Rebecca Brooksher and Dane DeHaan. DeHaan, new to BTF, has appeared off-Broadway in End Days and Sixty Miles to Silver Lake. Brooksher, a Juilliard graduate, was nominated for a Lucille Lorten Award for Best Actress in her Off-Broadway debut in Dying City.

Joining Tommy Schrider and James Barry in The Einstein Project by Paul D’Andrea and Jon Klein, are Brandy Caldwell, David Chandler, Kyle Faber, Jesse Hinson, Walter Hudson, Miranda Shea, and C.J. Wilson. David Chandler, last seen in A Man For All Seasons, has appeared in several shows on and Off Broadway including Lost in Yonkers and Death of a Salesman. Walter Hudson has appeared in numerous BTF shows including A Man For All Seasons, Mrs. Warren’s Profession, and Amadeus, and has performed in over 50 regional productions. Previously seen in The Book Club Play, C.J. Wilson has performed in many regional and Broadway shows, including Festen, Henry IV, Long Day's Journey into Night, and The Best Man. Kyle Faber’s past BTF shows include Keely and Du, Four Dogs and a Bone, and The Illusion. Brandy Caldwell, Miranda Shea, and Jesse Hinson all make their Main Stage debut at BTF. Caldwell recently received her MFA from Regent University. Jesse Hinson makes his debut following his first year as an MFA acting student at Brandeis University. This marks Miranda Shea’s third show with BTF, as well as her debut to the Main Stage at the age of 13.

Kate is thrilled about the caliber of the performers this summer. "We have been very fortunate to attract a truly remarkable group of actors for this season. This year’s cast of performers has distinguished themselves throughout the industry for their professionalism and high quality of work. I am as excited for this season, to see the work of these actors along with our fabulous directors, designers, and technical teams, as I have been in a very long time. This is going to be a special season.”

Main Stage

Berkshire Theatre Festival Main Stage performances are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8pm, Wednesdays at 7pm, with 2pm matinees on Thursdays and Saturdays. Tickets range from $23 to $68.

Broadway by the Year®- Created/Written/Hosted by Scott Siegel with an All-Star Cast
Presented by special arrangement with The Town Hall in New York City.
Previews: June 19
Opening Night/Press Night: June 20
Closes: June 27

Since 2002, this critically acclaimed cabaret series has become what Show Business Weekly deems, "…an invaluable and entertaining jewel in the cabaret crown of New York". For the first time ever, this amazing evening of show tunes from Broadway’s glorious past is presented in the Berkshires. This strictly limited engagement has been called by The New York Times, "Witty, breezily paced. . .informative. . .valuable. . .the right perspective of lighthearted nostalgia.”

The Einstein Project by Paul D’Andrea and Jon Klein
Directed by Eric Hill
Previews: June 30, July 1, 2, 3
Opening Night/Press Night: July 4
Closes: July 18

The Einstein Project humanizes an immortal figure. Through conversations with his son, his wife, and his colleagues, Paul D’Andrea and Jon Klein present a vulnerable, fiendishly intelligent Albert Einstein trapped between his beliefs and his duty. A fascinating portrait of the man who, however reluctantly, ushered in the atomic age. Originally presented in the Unicorn Theatre, BTF Director Eric Hill turns to the Main Stage to re-invigorate this extraordinary production.

The Prisoner of Second Avenue by Neil Simon
Directed by Warner Shook
Previews: July 21, 22, 23, 24
Opening Night/Press Night: July 25
Closes: August 8

Mel and Edna Edison, a middle-aged couple living in New York, find their luck is quickly deteriorating during a terrible heat wave and a garbage strike. When Mel cracks under the pressure, his family intervenes in an attempt to nurse him back to his old self, with predictably unpredictable results. World renowned playwright Neil Simon presents a comical, and sometimes sad, look at the pressures placed upon a working class family that ripples with his trademark crisp dialogue and quirky, hysterically memorable characters

Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen
Adapted by Anders Cato and James Leverett
Directed by Anders Cato
Previews: August 11, 12, 13, 14
Opening Night/Press Night: August 15
Closes: August 29

A woman struggles to keep several terrible family secrets, the implication of which are only worsened by a puritanical Pastor, a lascivious son, and her own guilt-ridden, well hidden past. Full of dark symbols, Ghosts exemplifies Henrik Ibsen’s uncanny ability to overturn Victorian social values by using them as the damning elements in his work. Now, BTF favorites Director Anders Cato and Dramaturg James Leverett present a brand new translation of this classic of the theatre.

Unicorn Theatre

Berkshire Theatre Festival Unicorn performances are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8pm; Wednesday evening at 7pm; and Saturday afternoons at 2pm. The opening and closing productions have slightly different schedules — please see details below. Prices range from $19.50 to $44.

Faith Healer by Brian Friel
Directed by Eric Hill
Previews: May 21, 22
Opening Night/Press Night: May 23
Closes: July 4
Playing Thursday through Saturday at 8pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2pm through June 20. From June 20-July 4 performances will return to the normal weekly schedule as listed above.

Francis Hardy has an unusual job. He, his wife, Grace, and his loyal manager, Teddy, travel across the British Isles performing a series of almost vaudevillian faith healings. But like any professional, Hardy begins to worry about losing his talent, or whether or not he ever really had one. The strain is felt by his wife, observed by his manager, and so grips Francis that he becomes obsessed with curing the incurable, no matter the cost.

Director Eric Hill says about Faith Healer, “The title is somewhat ironic in that it has multiple layers of meaning. On the surface, it’s a man who travels the country using faith to heal others, but it can also mean a person who goes about healing faith. In that way, the term asks as many questions as it answers, questions about our ability to heal ourselves in moments of crisis.”

Candide Music by Leonard Bernstein, Book adapted from Voltaire by Hugh Wheeler, Lyrics by Richard Wilbur
Other lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and John LaTouche
Directed by Ralph Petillo
Previews: July 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Opening Night/Press Night: July 11
Closes: August 15

Plays the normal Unicorn Schedule; however the schedule on Thursday will feature a 2pm show and an 8pm show while Saturday will feature a 10am show and an 8pm show.

Based on Voltaire’s novella, Candide is the story of a young man’s journey of self-discovery as he tries to find his place in a world that appears to be growing increasingly hostile. Alternately funny and poignant, Candide features some of the most recognizable music in the American canon and has proven to be a crowd favorite.

Sick by Zayd Dohrn
Director TBA
Previews: August 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 @ 2pm
Opening Night/Press Night: August 22 @ 8pm
Closes: September 6
Regional Premiere!

A small home on the Lower East Side of Manhattan is the only safe haven for the children of the Krebs family. But despite Mrs. Krebs’ attempts to protect her family with scrubbers, masks, and isolation, the delicate balance is brought to the breaking point when her husband’s academic career brings a stranger into their safe house. In its Northeast Premiere, Sick seeps onto the stage as a terrifying family drama filled with dark comedy, mistrust, and shocking realism.

Red Remembers by Andrew Guerdat
Directed by John Rando
With David Garrison (Married. . . With Children)
Previews: September 11, 12 @ 2pm
Opening Night/Press Night: September 12 @ 8pm
Closes: November 1
Playing Thursday through Saturday at 8pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2pm.
World Premiere!

Well into retirement, Red Barber, the former announcer for the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees, invites the audience into an intimate, beautifully nostalgic story about his life, the history of baseball, and the core values of humanity in an ever changing world. The honor, loyalty, and perseverance of America and its favorite pastime are not lost upon Red, and he ensures they shall not be lost to us.

Theatre for Young Audiences

Note: The following productions are not part of the subscription series.

The Wind in the Willows adapted by E. Gray Simons from the novel by Kenneth Grahame
Directed by E. Gray Simons III
July – August at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield
$7 children, $10 adult (discount for museum members)
For ticket information, call the Berkshire Museum at 413-443-7171
Playing Wednesday through Saturday 11am

Berkshire Theatre is proud to return to the Berkshire Museum for The Wind in the Willows. This classic Children’s tale deals with the eccentric Mr. Toad and his three friends, Mole, Ratty, and Mr. Badger. Exciting as well as educational, this is a production the whole family will love.

Peter Pan: The Musical
Based on the play by J. M. Barrie
Directed by E. Gray Simons III and Travis Daly
With a cast of children and adults drawn from the local Berkshire community
At the BTF Main Stage
Opening Night/Press Night: September 4
Closes: September 13
Playing Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2pm.
$10 students, $25 adults

Proceeds to benefit Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation’s Berkshire County Educational Enrichment Initiative and BTF PLAYS!, Berkshire Theatre Festival’s Year-Round Education Program.

Head towards the “second star to the right” and re-discover this wonderful tale of the boy who wouldn’t grow up. BTF is proud to once again stage a production cast completely from the Berkshire County community. Join the Darling children, the Lost Boys, and evil Captain Hook for an evening of music, merriment, and wonder.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, adapted by Eric Hill
Directed by Eric Hill and E. Gray Simons III
At the Unicorn Theatre
Previews: December 10, 11, 12@2pm
Opening Night/Press Night: December 12@8pm
Closes: December 30

Playing December 10 – 15, December 17 – 22, and December 26 – 30 at 7pm. There will be 2pm matinee performances on December 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, and 27. 10am matinee performances will be held on December 15 and 17. There will be no performances December 23-25. $20 child/student, $36 - $39 adult

BTF’s fourth annual production of the classic Dickens’ tale. A holiday tradition that the whole family will love.

Tickets

Season passes to either the Main Stage or the Unicorn are still available. This year, Main Stage subscribers get guaranteed Main Stage lot parking. All subscribers also receive discounts on additional single tickets. Contact the BTF Box Office at 413-298-5536 ext. 33 or visit www.berkshiretheatre.org for more information.

Single ticket vouchers to any of our shows are available for purchase as well. Each voucher guarantees you a seat in the theatre for the night of the show you wish. Starting in January, voucher holders will be given seats for their shows.

All plays, schedules, and prices are subject to change.

New for 2009

This season BTF will be changing its performance calendar slightly. Due to popular demand, all shows on Wednesday will be at 7pm, not 8pm, in the Main Stage and the Unicorn. Additionally, for The Wiz our Saturday matinees will be at 10am, not 2pm.

About Berkshire Theatre Festival

Founded in 1928, Berkshire Theatre Festival is one of the oldest professional regional theatres in the United States and the longest-running cultural organization in the Berkshires. Now under the helm of Artistic Director and CEO Kate Maguire, BTF presents theatre that matters—world premieres, contemporary works, and classics that speak to who we are in our world today. The Main Stage (408 seats), cataloged by the National Register of Historic Places, was originally designed and built by Stanford White as the Stockbridge Casino in 1888. The mission of BTF’s second stage, the intimate Unicorn Theatre (122 seats), is to provide a home for emerging artists and new theatrical ideas. BTF’s education program, BTF PLAYS!, reaches over 10,000 children annually through school residencies, touring performances, and summer performance training and writing programs. During the summer months BTF opens its doors to over 75 administrative, acting, and technical interns and apprentices. For more information about Berkshire Theatre Festival, please visit www.berkshiretheatre.org.

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