Breaking: Andre Braugher, Enrico Colantoni and More Join Debra Messing in BIRTHDAY CANDLES on Broadway

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director/CEO) has announced complete casting of the New York premiere of Birthday Candles by Noah Haidle, directed by Vivienne Benesch.

Joining the previously announced Emmy Award winner Debra Messing as "Ernestine," are Andre Braugher as "Matt" and Enrico Colantoni as "Kenneth," Crystal Finn as "Joan/Alex/Beth," Susannah Flood as "Alice/Madeline/Ernie," and Christopher Livingston as "Billy/John."

An award-winning television star, Debra Messing was last seen on Broadway in John Patrick Shanley's play Outside Mullingar opposite Brían F. O'Byrne. Two-time Emmy Award winner Andre Braugher makes his Broadway debut in Birthday Candles. Enrico Colantoni also makes his Broadway debut this season; he most recently appeared Off-Broadway in Fear, as well as in Hulu's "Veronica Mars" and opposite Tom Hanks in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Roundabout Theatre Company will welcome the return of Crystal Finn who has appeared in the Roundabout Underground productions of Kingdom Come and Bobbie Clearly, and Christopher Livingston who appeared in the Underground production of Something Clean. Susannah Flood returns to Roundabout after most recently appearing in The Cherry Orchard on Broadway.

Birthday Candles will begin preview performances on Thursday, April 2 and open officially on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. This is a limited engagement through Sunday, June 21, 2020 at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway (227 West 42nd Street).

Debra Messing (Will & Grace) returns to the stage as Ernestine Ashworth, who spends her 17th birthday agonizing over her insignificance in the universe. Soon enough, it's her 18th birthday. Even sooner, her 41st. Her 70th. Her 101st. Five generations, dozens of goldfish, an infinity of dreams, one cake baked over a century. What makes a lifetime...into a life? Noah Haidle makes his Broadway debut with a poignant new play as fearless in scope as it is tremendous in heart.

Roundabout will present a new Noah Haidle play following their collaboration on his black comedy Mr. Marmalade (2005) starring Mamie Gummer and Michael C. Hall. Birthday Candles was commissioned and previously produced by Detroit Public Theatre in the spring of 2018 and received the first 2019 Harold and Mimi Steinberg/ American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award citation. Ms. Benesch is the Producing Artistic Director of PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill, NC and, as an actress, was seen in Roundabout's 2004 production of Arthur Miller's After the Fall.

The design team will include Christine Jones (Sets), Toni-Leslie James (Costumes), Jen Schriever (Lights), John Gromada (Sound) and Kate Hopgood (Original Music).

Birthday Candles will play Tuesday through Saturday evening at 8:00PM with Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2:00PM and Sunday matinees at 3:00PM.