Brian d'Arcy James Joins Cast For MTC Premiere Of Donald Margulies' TIME STANDS STILL

Lynne Meadow (Artistic Director) and Barry Grove (Executive Producer) are pleased to announce that Tony Award nominee Brian d'Arcy James will join the cast of the New York premiere of Donald Margulies' TIME STANDS STILL at Manhattan Theatre Club's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street).

James is currently starring as the title character in Shrek The Musical. For his celebrated performance, he received a Tony nomination and won the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. He returns to MTC after appearing in the acclaimed production of Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party for which he received a Drama Desk Award nomination. James' other theatre credits include the Off-Broadway production of Next To Normal, Port Authority, The Apple Tree, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, and Sweet Smell of Success for which he was honored with Tony and Drama Desk nominations.

James joins the previously announced cast members which include Emmy and Golden Globe winner Laura Linney ("John Adams," Sight Unseen at MTC) and Golden Globe nominee Alicia Silverstone (The Graduate on Broadway, Clueless). The production will be directed by frequent Margulies collaborator and Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan (Sight Unseen on Broadway, Brooklyn Boy, Dinner With Friends). The fourth cast member and creative team will be announced in the coming weeks.

The limited engagement of TIME STANDS STILL will begin previews at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street) on Tuesday, January 5, 2010 in preparation for a Thursday, January 28, 2010 opening night.

Sarah and James, a photographer and a journalist (Laura Linney and Brian d'Arcy James), have been together for nine years and share a passion for documenting the realities of war. But when injuries force them to return home to New York, the adventurous couple confronts the prospect of a more conventional life. This timely and intelligent play marks the fourth collaboration for Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies and Tony Award-winning director Daniel Sullivan.

Manhattan Theatre Club's complete 2009-2010 Broadway season at the Samuel J. Friedman will feature a new production of George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber's THE ROYAL FAMILY, the New York premiere of Donald Margulies' TIME STANDS STILL, and the Broadway premiere of Margulies' COLLECTED STORIES. The Off-Broadway season will include Lynn Redgrave's NIGHTINGALE, Bill Cain's EQUIVOCATION, and Polly Stenham's THAT FACE.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, MTC has become one of the country's most prominent and prestigious theatre companies. MTC productions have earned a total of 16 Tony Awards and six Pulitzer Prizes, an accomplishment unparalleled by a New York theatrical institution. Renowned MTC productions include Ruined; The American Plan; Top Girls; Come Back, Little Sheba; Blackbird; Translations; Shining City; Rabbit Hole; Doubt; Proof; The Tale of the Allergist's Wife; Love! Valour! Compassion! ; A Small Family Business; Sylvia; Putting It Together; Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune; Crimes of the Heart; and Ain't Misbehavin'.

Last season, MTC's Broadway stage was renamed the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street). The landmarked theatre has been the institution's home on Broadway since 2003 and was rehabilitated by MTC following a two-year, $35 million capital campaign. In addition, MTC operates an Off-Broadway home at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street), where it has been in residence since 1984.

For more information on MTC, please visit www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com.

Subscriptions to MTC's 2009-2010 season are currently available by calling (212) 399-3050, Monday - Friday, noon - 10 PM, Saturday 2 PM - 6 PM with a major credit card. Subscriptions are also available online at www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com.

Single tickets for TIME STANDS STILL will go on sale Monday, August 31 via www.Telecharge.com, by calling (212) 239-6200, or at the Samuel J. Friedman box office (261 West 47th Street).

Other listings information will be announced in the coming weeks.

BRIAN D'ARCY JAMES (James) was nominated for a Tony in 2009 for his performance of ‘Shrek' in Shrek The Musical. He also won the Outer Critics Circle and the Drama Desk Award for that role.

Brian recently appeared in the feature film comedy Ghost Town with Ricky Gervais as ‘Irish Eddie' a tattooed gangster. Brian has also appeared in the ABC series "Cashmere Mafia," and FX's "Rescue Me." He recently co-created, co-produced and starred in an original made for TV improv comedy pilot called "Shiny People" about the unique world of corporate entertainment.

A Broadway veteran, Brian received a 2002 Tony nomination, a Drama Desk nomination, an Outer Critics Circle nomination and a Drama League Honor for his star turn as ‘Sidney Falco' in Sweet Smell of Success. For his performances Off-Broadway, he received a 2000 Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Musical and a Drama League Award Nomination for The Wild Party at Manhattan Theatre Club. He also received a 2001 Obie Award, Drama Desk Award nomination, Outer Critics Circle Nomination, Backstage Garland Award, and LA Weekly Award for his solo performance in Conor McPherson's The Good Thief. He comments that his role as the unnamed narrator in this play is his most memorable role to date and plans to reprise that role in 2010 for the 10 year anniversary of Keen Company, the New York City theater company that originally produced the play and gave him the opportunity to star.

This past year, Brian received rave reviews for the Atlantic Theater Company's production of Port Authority, his second Conor McPherson play. For his role, Brian was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actor and a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play for the 2009 season. He also co-starred in the Lucille Lortel nominated production of Next To Normal, at Second Stage Theater.

Brian started his illustrious career on Broadway when he appeared in Blood Brothers in 1993, taking over the lead role of ‘Mickey' for a limited time before leaving to join Nicholas Hytner's acclaimed production of Carousel at Lincoln Center. He continued with strong performances in Titanic in the standout role of ‘Barrett the Stoker,' for which he received his first Drama League Nomination and a FANY Award. 2007 was a busy year on Broadway for Brian. He originated the role of ‘Brendan' in Martin McDonagh's Tony and Drama Desk nominated play The Lieutenant of Inishmore, starred with Kristen Chenoweth, in the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of The Apple Tree, and starred with Keith Carradine in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels as the scene-stealing, crude con-man ‘Freddy Benson.'

He has appeared in the plays The Pavilion, Flight, Ancestral Voices at Lincoln Center and Public Enemy by Kenneth Branagh. He starred in the Encores! production of Pardon My English, and appeared in the original companies of Floyd Collins for Playwrights Horizons and Irving Berlin's White Christmas in San Francisco, Boston and Los Angeles.

An outstanding overall performer, Brian has starred in numerous benefit concerts and performances around the world. Highlights include the original benefit concert of "Children and Art" in 2005, the "Kennedy Center Honors" in both 1997 and 2004 first honoring Charlton Heston and then "Hamlisch on Hamlisch." He has appeared at venues ranging from Los Angeles' Disney Hall to Madison Square Garden with Barry Manilow; from the Boston Pops with Keith Lockhart to Dortmund Germany as well as numerous solo appearances at Carnegie Hall.

His numerous recordings include, but are not limited to, his 2004 debut solo album entitled From Christmas Eve to Christmas Morn (featuring his original popular holiday song "Michigan Christmas"), Shrek the Musical, Irving Berlin's White Christmas, Carousel, Floyd Collins, Myths and Hymns, The Wild Party, Sweet Smell of Success, The Civil War, Violet, Dream True, Maury Yeston Compilation Album, The Stephen Sondheim Album, The Stephen Schwartz Album. He can be heard along with numerous Broadway performers singing Alan Menken's and Stephen Schwartz's original songs in the Disney feature film Enchanted.

Brian d'Arcy James resides in New York City with his wife and daughter. He has supported and performed many times for an organization in his hometown of Saginaw, Michigan, called the Field Neurosciences Institute (FNI). The mission of the FNI is the prevention, early diagnosis, care and cure of neurological diseases, disorders and injuries.

Photo Credit: Peter James Zielinski