Actors Theatre of Louisville's THE GLORY OF THE WORLD Opens Tonight at BAM

BAM (Brooklyn Academy Of Music) and Knight Blanc present Actors Theatre's original production of THE GLORY OF THE WORLD by Charles Mee in its New York Premiere.

THE GLORY OF THE WORLD -- an exuberant theatrical celebration of renowned Kentucky-based mystic and Catholic monk Thomas Merton-was commissioned by Actors Theatre on the occasion of Merton's 100th birthday and received its world premiere during the 39th Humana Festival of New American Plays in March 2015.

This New York remount will reunite the original cast and creative team from the play's Louisville premiere under the direction of Les Waters at BAM, opening tonight, January 21, and running through February 6, 2016.

Actors Theatre is thrilled to see THE GLORY OF THE WORLD receive its New York premiere at BAM-one of America's preeminent performing arts venues. Located in Brooklyn, New York, BAM is an acclaimed home for adventurous artists, audiences, and ideas and a leading presenter of work with world-renowned programming in theater, dance, music, opera, film, and much more.

The Solo cups are overflowing at Merton's centennial birthday celebration as 17 men in party hats assemble to toast Merton's many faces, asking: What makes a man? What makes a saint? What if nothing is sacred-and everything is? As the night devolves, each facet of Merton's contested image-silent monk, poet, spiritual anarchist, social activist-inspires more speeches, slow dances, make outs, fist fights, and silent reflections, amassing a layered portrait of what it means to be a human being, full of contradictions and brimming with life.

Les Waters will reprise his role as A Man during previews and opening for THE GLORY OF THE WORLD. During the remainder of the run, Louisville-based internationally renowned singer-songwriter Will Oldham, better known by the stage name Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, will replace Waters in the role. The cast will also feature, Eric Berryman (Roland), Ryan Bourque (Arnold), Andrew Garman (Benny), Aaron Lynn (Robert), Bruce McKenzie (Albert), Barney O'Hanlon (Bobby), Conrad Schott (Conrad), David Ryan Smith (Cameron), and Cameron Benoit, Josh Bonzie, John Ford-Dunker, José Leon, Joe Lino, Max Monnig, Collin Morris, Brian Muldoon, Blake Russell and Lorenzo Villanueva as Ensemble.

The creative team for THE GLORY OF THE WORLD features Barney O'Hanlon as movement director and Ryan Bourque as fight director, and includes scenic design by Dane Laffrey, costume design by Connie Furr Soloman, lighting design by Mark Barton, sound design by Christian Frederickson, media design by Philip Allgeier and dramaturgy by Amy Wegener. Serving as Executive Consultant is Jessica R. Jenen.

THE GLORY OF THE WORLD is the sixth collaboration between Actors Theatre and playwright Charles Mee, whose relationship dates back to the world premiere of Big Love directed by Les Waters during the 24th Humana Festival. Prior to premiering The Glory of the World in 2015, Actors Theatre has previously premiered Big Love (2000), bobrauschenbergamerica (2001), Limonade Tous les Jours (2002), Hotel Cassiopeia (2006), and Under Construction (2009). Mee's plays have been performed at the Signature Theatre, Brooklyn Academy Of Music, New York Theatre Workshop, The Public Theater, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, American Repertory Theater, and other theatres around the country as well as in Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Vienna, Istanbul and elsewhere. All his plays are available on the Internet at charlesmee.org. Among other awards, Mee is the recipient of an Obie, the Lifetime Achievement Award in drama from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and a BAM Next Wave Fisher Award.

Currently the Artistic Director of Actors Theatre of Louisville, Les Waters' recent directing credits include Luna Gale, The Glory of the World, The Christians, Gnit, Girlfriend, Our Town, Long Day's Journey into Night and At the Vanishing Point. Waters' production of The Christians by Lucas Hnath-commissioned and premiered by Actors Theatre in 2014-is currently onstage at Playwrights Horizons and will transfer to Los Angeles in December for a run at Center Theater Group. Waters made his Broadway debut with Sarah Ruhl's In the Next Room (or the vibrator play) in 2009, and has numerous credits in New York including BAM, Signature Theatre, Soho Rep, The Public Theater, Second Stage, Manhattan Theatre Club, Connelly Theater, and Clubbed Thumb. Regional credits include Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Goodman Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, American Conservatory Theater, La Jolla Playhouse, and American Repertory Theater.

THE GLORY OF THE WORLD was commissioned by Actors Theatre of Louisville and premiered at the 39th Humana Festival of New American Plays in 2015. The commission was supported by the 50th Anniversary NCTF/Ford Foundation Fund for New Work and was developed at the 2014 Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Actors Theatre's production of THE GLORY OF THE WORLD was underwritten by Mr. Owsley Brown III.

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