Brían F. O'Byrne Joins Cast of Shining City, Previews Begin April 13, Opens May 3

Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) is pleased to announce that Tony Awardâ winner Brían F. O'Byrne will join Oliver Platt in Conor McPherson's SHINING CITY at the Biltmore Theatre (261 West 47th Street). The production will be directed by Tony Award® winner Robert Falls.

"Barry and I are thrilled that Brían will be returning to Manhattan Theatre Club to star in this wonderful play along with Oliver Platt," Lynne Meadow said, "Brían is one of the most talented actors working in theater today and we are so proud that his next role after his stunning performance in DOUBT will be in another MTC production."

O'Byrne is currently starring in the hit production of DOUBT which originated at Manhattan Theatre Club. He will play his final performance in DOUBT on Sunday, January 8.

Previews for SHINING CITY begin on April 13, 2006 for a May 3, 2006 opening.

Originally produced at London's Royal Court Theater to critical acclaim, SHINING CITY is set in Dublin, where a guilt-ridden man (Platt) reaches out to a therapist (O'Byrne) after seeing the ghost of his recently deceased wife. Wrestling with his own demons, the therapist can only do so much to help. Routine visits between the two men quickly become a gripping struggle to survive, changing both of them for the rest of their lives.

Additional casting will be announced at a future date.

O'Byrne is currently starring in the hit production of Doubt, which originated at Manhattan Theatre Club's New York City Center – Stage I. For Doubt, O'Byrne received the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards and a Tonyâ nomination. O'Byrne previously received the Tony Awardâ for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play for Frozen. Other theatre credits include The Lonesome West (Tonyâ nomination, Irish Times Best Actor), The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Tonyâ nomination), The Sisters Rosensweig. His Off-Broadway credits include: Bedbound; Smelling a Rat; Hapgood; Marking, Grandchild of Kings; Seconds Out; Philadelphia, Here I Come; Playboy of the Western World. Ireland and London: The Leenane Trilogy (including Skull in Connemara); Hackney Office; Sharon's Grave; Good Evening, Mr. Collins; The Woman Who Walked Into Doors. Film: New World, Million Dollar Baby, Intermission, Easy, Mapmaker, Bandits, An Everlasting Piece, The Grey Zone, Disco Pies, The Fifth Province, The Last Bus Home. TV: "Black Water Lightship," "Oz," "Amongst Women." A native of Cavan County, Ireland, O'Byrne received his training from Trinity College, Dublin.

Single tickets ($80 - $26) for SHINING CITY are available by calling TeleCharge.com at 212-239-6200 or at www.telecharge.com or at the Biltmore Theatre box office (261 West 47th Street).

Subscriptions to MTC can be obtained by calling (212) 399-3030, Monday - Friday, noon - 8 PM with a major credit card. Subscriptions are also available online at www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com.

BIOGRAPHIES

CONOR McPHERSON (Playwright) made his Broadway debut with 1999's acclaimed play, The Weir. Off-Broadway, his productions include Dublin Carol, St. Nicholas and This Lime Bower Tree. McPherson was awarded the 1997 George Devine Award, the 1997 Critics' Circle Award and the 1997 Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright for The Weir. The Weir also won the 1999 Olivier Award for Best New Play.

ROBERT FALLS (Director). On Broadway, Falls most recently directed Long Day's Journey Into Night (three 2003 Tony Awards®, including Best Revival) as well as the 1999 Tony Award® -winning Death of a Salesman, for which he was honored as Best Director. His other Broadway credits include the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Young Man From Atlanta, The Speed of Darkness, The Rose Tattoo and The Night of the Iguana. Mr. Falls received an Obie Award for his direction of Eric Bogosian's subUrbia at Lincoln Center. His work has also been seen at Manhattan Theatre Club and the Joseph Papp Public Theater. As artistic director of Chicago's Goodman Theatre, he has directed many productions, including Book of the Night, Riverview and a major revival of Pal Joey, for which he wrote a new book. His opera credits include productions for Chicago's Lyric Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, the Houston Grand Opera and the Grand Théâtre de Genève.