Double MTC News - Cast & Director Set for WE LIVE HERE; Chernus Joins CLOSE UP SPACE

Lynne Meadow (Artistic Director), Barry Grove (Executive Producer), and Mandy Greenfield (Artistic Producer) announced additional casting and creative team members for the upcoming Manhattan Theatre Club world premiere productions of WE LIVE HERE by Zoe Kazan and CLOSE UP SPACE by Molly Smith Metzler, at New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street).

WE LIVE HERE, the New York playwrighting debut of Zoe Kazan, will be directed by Obie Award winner Sam Gold (Kin, Tigers Be Still, Circle Mirror Transformation). The world premiere production will feature Betty Gilpin (MTC's That Face, The Language Archive) in the role of ‘Dinah,' Oscar Isaac (Ridley Scott's Robin Hood, MTC's Beauty of the Father) in the role of ‘Daniel,' and Jeremy Shamos (Clybourne Park, MTC's Reckless) in the role of ‘Sandy.'

Allie Bateman's wedding is Sunday. When Dinah (Gilpin), her precocious younger sister, returns to their parents' home for the festivities, she brings more than anyone expected: a new boyfriend, whose hidden history resurrects passions and painful memories for the whole family. Over one emotionally charged weekend, The Batemans must acknowledge and accept loss to gain hope for regeneration. Zoe Kazan, one of New York's most acclaimed young actors, returns to Manhattan Theatre Club for her New York playwriting debut with this world premiere MTC-commissioned play -an incisive and beautifully rendered portrait of a contemporary family coming together through grief and celebration.

The limited engagement of WE LIVE HERE will begin previews Thursday, September 22 and open Wednesday, October 12 at New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street).

Additional creative team members for WE LIVE HERE include: John Lee Beatty (scenic design), David Zinn (costume design), Ben Stanton (lighting design), Ryan Rumery (sound design), and Thomas Schall (fight direction).

WE LIVE HERE was commissioned by MTC through the Bank of America New American Play Program and is the recipient of a 2011 Edgerton New American Play Award.

In addition, CLOSE UP SPACE, the world premiere play by Molly Smith Metzler, directed by Obie Award winner Leigh Silverman, will feature Obie Award winner Michael Chernus (In The Wake, Hunting and Gathering). In CLOSE UP SPACE, Chernus will play the role of ‘Steve,' assistant to ‘Paul Barrow' (David Hyde Pierce).

Tony Award and four-time Emmy Award winner David Hyde Pierce brings his signature wit back to the MTC stage as Paul Barrow, an obsessive book editor on a major deadline. With an assistant (Chernus) who's been camping in the office, a famous author threatening to bail on him and an intern who is no help at all, Paul's just about had it! But when his fiery daughter shows up and lambasts him in Russian, Paul faces a glaring personal error that can't be corrected with red ink. Leigh Silverman (Well, From Up Here, Chinglish) returns to MTC to direct this funny and poignant new play about how hard it can be to communicate... in any language.

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