Cast Set For World Premiere of David Edgar's HERE IN AMERICA at Orange Tree Theatre

Orange Tree Theatre has announced the full cast for the world première of David Edgar's Here in America. James Dacre directs Michael Aloni as Art (Arthur Miller), Jasmine Blackborow as Miss Bauer (Marilyn Monroe), Faye Castelow as Day (Molly Kazan) and Shaun Evans as Gadg (Elia Kazan) in this new drama exploring a confrontation between two titans of stage and screen, Elia Kazan and Arthur Miller.

Also announced are the creative team joining Dacre – design is by Simon Kenny, with lighting design by Charles Balfour, sound design by Bella Kear, compositions by Valgeir Sigurðsson, voice and accent coaching by Aundrea Fudge, costume supervision by Laura Rushton and casting by Matilda James CDG.

Here in America opens on 23 September, with previews from 14 September and runs until 19 October.

Tom Littler, Artistic Director of Orange Tree Theatre said today, "David Edgar's remarkable new play tells a fascinating story about collaboration and betrayal in a fevered moment of American history. It asks tough and pertinent questions about the intersection of friendship and politics. We are delighted to welcome this incredible cast and team to the Orange Tree bringing these iconic and ever-fascinating historical figures to life; we can't wait to see the brilliant Michael Aloni make his UK theatrical debut, to welcome back Faye Castelow, and to see Jasmine Blackborow and Shaun Evans appearing at the OT for the first time."

On a rainswept afternoon in 1952, Hollywood and Broadway's leading director, Elia Kazan met his closest collaborator, the playwright Arthur Miller. As the anti-communist crusade of McCarthyism blacklisted hundreds of their colleagues, Kazan and Miller faced a stark choice. Should they betray their friends, or risk never working again?

David Edgar's illustrious career includes multi award-winning plays for the RSC and National Theatre. His compelling new drama imagines a confrontation between two giants of stage and screen, both passionately involved with an actress about to become the most famous movie star in the world.

Alongside Here in America at the OT, David Edgar's upcoming plays include The New Real (RSC presented in association with Headlong). His plays also include Albert Speer, Playing with Fire (National Theatre), Testing the Echo (Out of Joint), If Only (Chichester Festival Theatre), Trying it On (Birmingham Rep, RSC, Edinburgh Festival Fringe and UK tour), Black Tulips (Kiln Theatre, US tour), Concerning Faith (Bush Theatre, Westminster Abbey). For the RSC Destiny, Maydays, Pentecost (also Young Vic), Written on the Heart (also Duchess Theatre), The Shape of the Table (also National Theatre) and The Prisoner's Dilemma.  His adaptations include Mary Barnes, Julian Barnes' Arthur and George (Birmingham Rep), The Jail Diary of Albie Sach, Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby, Stevenson's Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Dickens' A Christmas Carol (RSC) and English versions of Brecht's Galileo (Birmingham Rep), Mother Courage and Her Children (Stratford Festival of Canada) and Ibsen's The Master Builder (Chichester Festival Theatre). His television credits include The Eagle Has Landed, I Know What I Mean, Buying a Landslide, Citizen Locke, and Vote for Them; and for film, Lady Jane.

Michael Aloni plays Art (Arthur Miller), marking his UK stage debut. His theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing, An Enemy of the People (Beer-Sheva Theater), Ingalea (Mirror Theater), The Idiot (Studio of Performing Arts). His television credits include 8200, We Were the Lucky Ones, The Stronghold, The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem, Scenes from a Marriage, Shtisel, Our Boys, Malkot, When Heroes Fly, Temporarily Dead, Hashualim and Ha-Shminiya; and for film, The Stronghold,  Love You Charlie, Plan A, Happy Times, Virgins, And Then She Arrived, Antenna, Keep it Cool, A Place in Heaven, Policeman, and Infiltration.

Shaun Evans plays Gadg (Elia Kazan). His theatre credits include Manor (National Theatre), Hello/Goodbye (Hampstead Theatre), and Miss Julie/ Black Comedy (Chichester Festival Theatre). His television credits include Until I Kill You, Vigil, Endeavour (as Inspector Morse), The Scandalous Lady W, The Last Weekend, Come Rain Come Shine, The Take and Teachers; and for film War Book, Barbarian Princess, Dread, Boy ‘A', Telstar, Gone, Sparkle, Cashback, The Situation, Being Julia and The Great Ceili War.

Faye Castelow returns to the Orange Tree to play Day (Molly Kazan), having previously appeared in Audience/Mountain Hotel and Leaving. Her theatre credits include Leopoldstadt (Wyndham's Theatre), The Rover, The Witch of Edmonton, The White Devil, The Roaring Girl (RSC), Man and Superman, After the Dance, Time and the Conways (National Theatre), Rattigan's Nijinsky and The Deep Blue Sea (Chichester Festival Theatre). Her television credits include Clique and Rellik.

Jasmine Blackborow plays Miss Bauer (Marilyn Monroe). Her theatre credits include Super High Resolution (Soho Theatre), The Breach (Hampstead Theatre), A Winning Hazard, After October (Finborough Theatre), Othello, Much Ado About Nothing (Pop-up Globe) and Now This is Not The End (Arcola Theatre). Her television credits include The Librarians, The Gentlemen, Marie Antoinette and Shadow and Bone; and for film, Moss and Freud, Odyssey, The Art of Love, Daemon Mind, School's Out Forever and The Protector.

James Dacre directs. He is an Olivier and UK Theatre Award-winning Director and Creative Producer who recently launched Living Productions and is Guest Festival Director for this year's Nevill Holt Festival. He was Artistic Director of Royal & Derngate Theatres from 2013-2023 where he produced more than 120 shows, of which 60 toured both nationally and internationally, and 42 transferred to London and were recognised with Olivier, Evening Standard, UK Theatre, WhatsOnStage and The Stage awards. During this time, the venue reached over three and a half million audience members and was twice shortlisted for Regional Theatre of the Year by The Stage (2022 and 2016) and chosen as 2020 Outstanding Theatre of the Year by Michael Billington. Prior to this, James was Associate Director at the New Vic Theatre, Theatre503 and the National Youth Theatre and directed productions for Shakespeare's Globe, The National Theatre, English Touring Opera, English Touring Theatre, the Royal Exchange Theatre, Theatre Royal Stratford East, The Gate and in the West End and off-Broadway. He is a Board Director of Spirit of 2012, a Trustee for The Theatres Trust and Talawa Theatre Company and a Franco-British Young Leader.

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