Atlantic Theater's THE THREEPENNY OPERA, with Laura Osnes and F. Murray Abraham, Begins Previews Tonight

Atlantic Theater Company's highly anticipated revival of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill's musical The Threepenny Opera, directed and choreographed by Martha Clarke, begins previews tonight, March 12, 2014. The Threepenny Opera will officially open Monday, April 7, and play a limited eight-week engagement through Sunday, May 4, 2014 Off Broadway at Atlantic Theater Company at the Linda Gross Theater (336 West 20th Street).

The Threepenny Opera features a celebrated cast of 15, including Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham, Sophie Bortolussi, Jon David Casey, Lilli Cooper, Lindsey Dietz-Marchant, Timothy Doyle, Rick Holmes, John Kelly, Sally Murphy, Tony Award nominee Laura Osnes, Daytime Emmy Award winner Michael Park, Tony Award nominee Mary Beth Peil, Cristina Spina, Paola Styron, and John William Watkins.

Legendary artist Martha Clarke helms this fresh, vibrant production of The Threepenny Opera, the captivating classic with music by Kurt Weill, book and lyrics by Bertolt Brecht in an English adaptation by Marc Blitzstein.

Based on John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, The Threepenny Opera follows the charismatic scoundrel Macheath (Park) and his criminal exploits in 19th century London. When Macheath marries Polly Peachum (Osnes), the straight-laced daughter of powerful, miserly merchant JJ. Peachum (Abraham), their unlikely union unleashes the chaos of manhunts, bribes, and imprisonment. In this "opera for beggars," an assortment of salacious characters maneuver for advantage, revealing a profoundly corrupt society.

The Threepenny Opera will feature scenic design by Robert Israel, costume design by Donna Zakowska, lighting design by Christopher Akerlind, sound design by Clive Goodwin, musical direction by Gary S. Fagin, animal training by William Berloni, and casting by Tiffany Little Canfield, CSA, Telsey + Company.

Atlantic Theater Company (Neil Pepe, Artistic Director; Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director) is the award winning Off-Broadway theater that produces great plays simply and truthfully utilizing an artistic ensemble. Atlantic believes that the story of a play and the intent of its playwright are at the core of the creative process. The plays in the Atlantic repertory, from both new and established playwrights, are boldly interpreted by today's finest theater artists and resonate with contemporary audiences. Since its inception over 28 years ago, Atlantic has produced more than 150 plays including Tony Award-winning productions of Spring Awakening and The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Martin McDonagh); world premieres of Women or Nothing, Almost an Evening, Offices and Happy Hour (Ethan Coen); The Lieutenant of Inishmore and The Cripple of Inishmaan (Martin McDonagh); Body Awareness (Annie Baker); Romance (David Mamet); Through a Glass Darkly (Bergman, adapted by Jenny Worton); Farragut North (Beau Willimon); Dreams of Flying Dreams of Falling (Adam Rapp); Bluebird and Harper Regan (Simon Stephens); What Rhymes With America (Melissa James Gibson); The Lying Lesson (Craig Lucas); 3 Kinds of Exile (John Guare); Storefront Church (John Patrick Shanley); Blue/Orange (Joe Penhall); Port Authority and Dublin Carol (Conor McPherson); Writer's Block (Woody Allen); American Buffalo and Edmond (David Mamet); The Cider House Rules(adapted by Peter Parnell); Good Television (Rod McLachlan); Celebration & The Room, The Collection & A Kind of Alaska and The Hothouse (Harold Pinter); Gabriel (Moira Buffini); Oohrah! (Bekah Brunstetter); Mojo, Parlour Song (Jez Butterworth); Boys' Life and The Lights (Howard Korder); Distant Fires (Kevin Heelan); Missing Persons (Craig Lucas).

Atlantic has garnered 12 Tony Awards, 12 Lucille Lortel Awards, 15 Obie Awards, seven Drama Desk Awards, five Outer Critics Circle Awards and three Drama League Awards. Atlantic also operates The Atlantic Theater Company Acting School, which has an undergraduate program in conjunction with NYU, as well as a two-year professional acting program and a six-week intensive workshop every summer. Atlantic for Kids and the Educational Outreach Program partners with schools and teachers throughout the greater metropolitan area coordinating in-school visits of teaching artists and post-theater talkbacks.