Andrew Veenstra, Todd Cerveris, et al. to Lead WAR HORSE National Tour; Full Cast Announced

Casting was announced today for the upcoming U.S. tour of the 2011 Tony Award-winning Best Play, War Horse. The company, comprised of more than 30 performers, includes Andrew Veenstra as Albert Narracott, Brian Keane as Arthur Narracott, Michael Wyatt Cox as Billy Narracott, Todd Cerveris as Ted Narracott, Angela Reed as Rose Narracott, Jason Loughlin as Lieutenant James Nicholls, and Jason Alan Carvell as Private Schnabel.

Also featured in the cast are Michael Stewart Allen, Danny Beiruti, Brooks Brantly, Laurabeth Breya, Brian Robert Burns, Grayson DeJesus, Catherine Gowl, Aaron Haskell, Mike Heslin, Jon Hoche, Mat Hostetler, Chad Jennings, Nathan Koci, Jessica Krueger, Nick LaMedica, Rob Laqui, Megan Loomis, Christopher Mai, Gregory Manley, Andrew May, John Milosich, Alex Morf, Patrick Osteen, Jon Riddleberger, Lavita Shaurice, Derek Stratton, and Danny Yoerges.

The winner of five 2011 Tony Awards including Best Play, War Horse will embark on a national tour in June 2012, bringing the hit play to 30 U.S. cities during the 2012-2013 season. War Horse has been seen by almost 2 million people worldwide and is currently playing at New York’s Lincoln Center Theater, in London’s West End, and at Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre. Future productions of War Horse are planned for Australia, Berlin and South Africa, as well as a UK Tour.

The tour of War Horse, based on the beloved novel by Michael Morpurgo and adapted by Nick Stafford, will be directed by Bijan Sheibani based on the original Tony® Award-winning direction by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, and presented in association with Handspring Puppet Company. At the heart of the show are life-sized puppets which bring breathing, galloping, charging horses to thrilling life on stage.

Michael Morpurgo’s novel, War Horse, is also the inspiration for Steven Spielberg’s feature film of the same name, which was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture.

In addition to Best Play, War Horse received Tony Awards for Best Direction of a Play (Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris), Best Scenic Design of a Play (Rae Smith), Best Lighting Design of a Play (Paule Constable), and Best Sound Design of a Play (Christopher Shutt). A Special Tony Award was given to Handspring Puppet Company for their integral work on the production.

The tour will rehearse and preview at Boise State University’s Morrison Center in Idaho before beginning performances at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, June 14 - July 29, 2012. After the Los Angeles engagement, the North American tour will visit San Francisco, Dallas, Atlanta, Durham, Boston, Washington DC, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, East Lansing, Des Moines, Chicago, Costa Mesa, Tempe, Seattle, Portland, Spokane, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale, Fayetteville, Charlotte, Providence, Minneapolis, and Appleton. For the full tour schedule, please visit warhorseonstage.com.

War Horse received its World Premiere in a limited engagement at the National’s Olivier Theatre in 2007. The play returned to The National Theatre for a second run playing from in 2008-2009 before transferring to the West End’s New London Theatre in Spring 2009 where it continues to play an open-ended run.

The lead producers of the National Tour of War Horse are Bob Boyett and The National Theatre of Great Britain.

Lincoln Center Theater and The National Theatre of Great Britain in association with Bob Boyett and War Horse LP, are the producers of the American premiere of War Horse, which opened in Spring 2011 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater where it is currently playing an open-ended run.