THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON Takes Jacobs; Previews 2/9, Opens 3/6

Brian Cox, Jim Gaffigan, Chris Noth, Jason Patric and Kiefer Sutherland will star in the Broadway revival of Jason Miller's Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning play THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON, directed by Gregory Mosher. Preview performances begin on Wednesday, February 9th, 2011 with and official opening on Sunday, March 6th, 2011 at the Bernard B Jacobs Theatre (242 West 45 Street).

The design team includes Michael Yeargan (Sets), Jane Greenwood (Costumes), Peter Kaczorowski (Lights) and Scott Lehrer (Sound).

THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON is produced by Robert Cole, Frederick Zollo, Shelter Island Enterprises, The Shubert Organization, James MacGilvray, Orin Wolf, The Weinstein Company, Second Chance Productions, Brannon Wiles and Scott M. Delman/Lucky VIII.

THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON made its debut at The Public Theater in May 1972 before moving to Broadway?s Booth Theatre where it went on to win the Pulitzer Prize, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play and the Tony Award for Best Play for the 1973 season. It played a total of 944 performances on and off Broadway.

On the anniversary of their victory in the Pennsylvania state championship game, four members of the starting lineup of a small-town Catholic high school basketball team gather with their coach to re-live their youthful glory. As the night progresses, the long buried grudges and secrets of the once-confident players surface, threatening not just their solidarity, but the meaning of their victory. With savage humor, THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON probes the darkest aspects of the American dream of success at all costs. In his original review of the play in the New York Times, Clive Barnes wrote, "Wow! This is precisely the kind of relevant and hard-hitting play that Broadway should be doing if it has any chance of survival. That Championship Season is Broadway theatre at its finest."

BIOGRAPHIES: Brian Cox (Coach) is an award-winning actor of the stage, screen and television. He has appeared in dozens of plays on the stages of London, New York and Scotland. Cox won two Olivier Awards for his performances in Rat in the Skull and Titus Andronicus; British Theatre Association Drama Awards for Best Actor for his work in The Taming of the Shrew and Strange Interlude; and the Lucille Lortel Award, as well as Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations, for St. Nicholas. He spent eight months in London?s West End, starring as Max in Tom Stoppard?s Rock ‘n Roll, a role he reprised on Broadway. Cox has helmed stage productions of I Love My Life, Mrs. Warren's Profession, The Philanderer, The Master Builder and Richard III. A veteran of more than 50 feature films, he recently wrapped production on Rise of the Apes and Red with Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren. Cox earned AFI and Indpendent Spirit Award nominations for his work in the critically hailed independent film L.I.E.. His list of film credits include The Good Heart, Tell-Tale, The Escapist, Troy, X2, Zodiac, 25th Hour, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Ring, The Rookie, The Affair of the Necklace, For the Love of the Game, Rushmore, Desperate Measures, The Boxer, Kiss the Girls, Braveheart, Rob Roy, Manhunter, Hidden Agenda, and Nicholas and Alexandra. In 2003, Cox?s contributions to the arts were honored by Queen Elizabeth II, who named him a Commander of the British Empire. In 2006, Empire Magazine (UK) honored his film achievements with the Empire Icon Award. In 2007, the UK Film Council named him one of the Top 10 powerful British film stars in Hollywood today.

Jim Gaffigan (George Sikowski) has proven himself a major talent beloved to a wide range of audiences, achieving accolades and awards for his stand-up comedy, acting, and writing. His clever, quiet style has made him one of the top five most successful touring comedians in the country today and his CDs and DVDs have reached platinum sales. Gaffigan has had an unprecedented number of appearances on late night?s "Letterman" and "Conan." His writing and voice work on the animated series "Pale Force" for Conan O?Brien led to nominations for both a Broadband Emmy and a Webby Award. Jim has endeared himself to television audiences by taking on vivid characters in a number of genres. Gaffigan has had breakout guest appearances on many comedies and dramas ranging from HBO's cult hits "Flight of the Concords" and "Bored to Death" to dramatic roles in all three versions of "Law & Order". In recent years, Gaffigan has also become a mainstay on the big screen with memorable roles in Going the Distance, Away We Go and It's Kind of a Funny Story. Coming up, Gaffigan will be seen alongside Jennifer Connolly, Ed Harris, Pierce Bronson, and Greg Kinnear in the highly anticipated film Salvation Boulevard. That Championship Season marks Gaffigan?s Broadway debut.

Chris Noth (Phil Romano) performed in Beau Willimon?s Farragut North originating at New York?s Atlantic Theater Company and then again at the Geffen Theater in Los Angeles. He received the 2001 Theater World Award for his performance in the Broadway revival of Gore Vidal?s The Best Man, and appeared in Christopher Shinn?s What Didn't Happen at New York?s Playwright?s Horizons. He received rave reviews as „Teach? in American Buffalo at the Berkshire Theater Festival and completed a successful Broadway run of the revival of Gore Vidal?s The Best Man. Noth received his MFA from the Yale School of Drama. He is currently co-starring with Julianna Marguilies in the hit CBS drama "The Good Wife" as the errant politician husband.

He recently reprised his Golden Globe nominated role as „Mr. Big? in the box office feature Sex and the City 2, based upon the Award-winning HBO Comedy series as well as starred alongside Renee Zellweger and Kevin Bacon in My One and Only. He played the role of „Detective Mike Logan? on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," a character which he originated on "Law & Order" and portrayed on that show for five seasons.

Jason Patric (Tom Daley). Film debut came in 1987 when he appeared in the comedy-thriller The Lost Boys. He then starred in the war drama The Beast. After Dark My Sweet and Rush which earned Patric critical acclaim. Patric next starred in Geronimo: An American Legend , The Journey of August King. Sleepers and in Your Friends and Neighbors, which was the first feature Patric produced for his Production Company, Fleece. Patric starred in the drama Narc and The Alamo for Director John Lee Hancock. He starred in Downloading Nancy, Expired, and My Sister's Keeper. Patric starred as „Brick? in the Broadway production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Some of his other theatre credits include Neil LaBute?s Bash, Beirut, Out of Gas on Lover's Leap, The Tempest, Henry V and Love's Labor Lost. Jason Patric is the son of playwright Jason Miller.

Kiefer Sutherland (James Daley), best known for his role on Fox?s "24," for which he won a Golden Globe Award, an Emmy Award and two SAG Awards, for Best Actor in a Drama Series. The show has also won an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Drama. Sutherland started acting at the age of 15 at various youth theatres in Toronto. In 1997, Sutherland returned to the stage with his mother, actress Shirley Douglas, to star in a production of Tennessee William?s play The Glass Menagerie at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Sutherland has also had a vast film career with such hits as A Few Good Men, Phone Booth, and The Sentinel.

Gregory Mosher (Director) directed last season?s Tony Award nominated Broadway revival of A View from the Bridge starring Scarlet Johansson and Liev Schreiber. Mosher has produced and or directed nearly 200 plays on Broadway and in the West End, and at the Goodman and Lincoln Center theatres, both of which he headed. He is a two-time Tony award-winner.

Jason Miller (Playwright 1939-2001) was an American actor and playwright. He received the 1973 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for That Championship Season, and was widely recognized for his role as Father Damien Karras in the 1973 Academy Award Nominated film "The Exorcist." "The Exorcist" received ten Academy Award nominations including Miller?s own nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He later became Artistic Director of the Scranton Public Theatre in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where That Championship Season was set.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are available December 1st - December 10th through an exclusive arrangement with American Express. A general public on-sale date will be announced shortly. Tickets for THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON will be available by visiting Telecharge.com.

 

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