Actors Selected for Lunt-Fontanne Master Class with David Hyde Pierce

Ten Chimneys Foundation has announced the ten actors who will participate in the 2014 Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program, a widely acclaimed national program to serve the future of American theatre. July 13-20, the Lunt-Fontanne Fellows will join Master Teacher David Hyde Pierce for an intensive, weeklong master class and immersion experience at Ten Chimneys, the National Historic Landmark estate of theatre legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne in Genesee Depot, Wisconsin.

The following are the ten actors who have been selected as the 2014 Lunt-Fontanne Fellows, with their nominating theatres:

• Angel Desai - The Old Globe (San Diego, CA)
• Angela Iannone - Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Milwaukee, WI)
• Blake Lindsley - The Pasadena Playhouse (Pasadena, CA)
• Constance Macy - Indiana Repertory Theatre (Indianapolis, IN)
• Dale Hodges - Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park (Cincinnati, OH)
• Felicity Jones - Yale Repertory Theatre (New Haven, CT)
• Forrest McClendon - Walnut Street Theatre (Philadelphia, PA)
• Julie Briskman - Intiman Theatre (Seattle, WA)
• Michael Booth - Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis, MN)
• Robert Breuler - Steppenwolf Theatre Company (Chicago, IL)

"What a gift this is - a chance to retreat and recharge, to connect with and learn from a diverse group of accomplished actors, and to remind ourselves, through Alfred and Lynn, of the theatrical lineage we all share." - David Hyde Pierce, 2014 Master Teacher

The guest list at Ten Chimneys was a glorious who's who of the theatre world - Noël Coward, S.N. Behrman, Helen Hayes, Uta Hagen, Katharine Hepburn, Laurence Olivier, Carol Channing, George Burns, and on and on. Our 2014 Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Class will delve into that legacy and explore all works related to the Lunts and their illustrious guests. In doing so, the actors will have the opportunity to reflect on their own theatrical roots, and those of the theaters they come from.

"The Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program is the preeminent fellowship for actors with a minimum of twenty years of acting experience. Many commonly refer to the program as "mentoring the mentors" and I'm thrilled that Ten Chimneys Foundation is able to give these accomplished actors the outlet to grow artistically and be inspired - all under the helm of David Hyde Pierce. I'm continually impressed with David. His commitment to providing the actors with an engaging experience will truly make the 2014 Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program memorable and the theatre communities of our actors will certainly feel the impact." - Randy Bryant, President & CEO, Ten Chimneys Foundation

Since its inception in 2009, the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program, conceived and executed by Ten Chimneys Foundation, has brought the nation's top regional theatre actors to Ten Chimneys to work with a world renowned Master Teacher. Past Master Teachers include Lynn Redgrave, Barry Edelstein, Olympia Dukakis, Joel Grey, and Alan Alda.

At the close of the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program guests are invited to attend two public programs. On Friday, July 18, Ten Chimneys Foundation will present A Conversation with David Hyde Pierce, an intimate evening during which Mr. Pierce will share stories about his life and his career. On Saturday, July 19, Mr. Pierce and the ten 2014 Lunt-Fontanne Fellows will take the stage together for a Concluding Presentation, a rare look at the work they explored during their week at Ten Chimneys, as well as a one-night-only program highlighting the remarkable actors chosen as 2014 Lunt-Fontanne Fellows.

More information, including ticket prices and program details, can be found at www.tenchimneys.org or by calling (262) 968-4110.

Mr. David Hyde Pierce is a Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor widely known for his distinctive voice and deadpan humor, which was perhaps best exemplified on TV's iconic comedy Frasier. For his portrayal of Dr. Niles Crane, Mr. Pierce was nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor for a record eleven consecutive years, every year of the sitcom's run, earning him four Emmy Awards, among many other accolades. Mr. Pierce won a Tony Award and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for his role in the musical comedy Curtains. He made his professional and Broadway debut in 1982 in Christopher Durang's Beyond Therapy. Since then, his prolific theatre credits include That's It,Folks!, The Author's Voice, Elliot Loves, The Heidi Chronicles, Monty Python's Spamalot, Accent on Youth, La Bête, and The Landing. Mr. Pierce's directing credits include It Shoulda Been You, The Importance of Being Earnest, and this year, a new production of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at the Mark Taper Forum. He returns to the play as director after earning a Tony nomination for his performance as Vanya, the role he originated in Durang's play. Mr. Pierce's film credits include Little Man Tate, Sleepless in Seattle, Nixon, Down With Love, and the Sundance Film Festival selection, The Perfect Host. In addition to his work as a performer, Mr. Pierce has spent years working with the Alzheimer's Association advocating for Americans with Alzheimer's disease.

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