Chad Kimball, Guy Burnet to Lead 59E59 Theaters' MURDER IN THE FIRST

Partial casting was today announced for Dan Gordon's MURDER IN THE FIRST, coming to 59E59 Theaters.

Tony Award-nominee Chad Kimball (Memphis) will play the Alcatraz convict Willie Moore. British stage and TV actor Guy Burnet (Hollyoaks) makes his NY stage debut as Willie's attorney Henry Willard Davidson. Larisa Polonsky (Burning for The New Group) plays fellow attorney Mary McCasslin.

The cast also includes Joe Adams, Richard Fiske, Anthoula Katsimatides, Darren Kelly, Joe Lawless, Thomas Ryan, and John Stanisci. Five more cast members are still to be announced.

Inspired by a true story, MURDER IN THE FIRST is described as "a gripping drama about the murder trial that blew open the deplorable treatment of the prisoners at Alcatraz, the most notorious correctional institution in U.S. history. The stage version of Dan Gordon's 1995 film explores the unlikely friendship that develops between the young, idealistic attorney and the prisoner that he was brought in to defend."

MURDER IN THE FIRST is written by Dan Gordon and directed by Michael Parva. MURDER IN THE FIRST is produced by The Directors Company, in association with Chase Mishkin, Barbara & Buddy Freitag, and Invictus Theater Company.

MURDER IN THE FIRST begins performances on Friday, May 25 for a limited engagement through Sunday, July 1. Press Opening is Wednesday, June 6 at 7:00 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7:00 PM; Friday at 8:00 PM; Saturday at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM; and Sunday at 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Please note, there are no 7:00 PM performances on Sunday, May 27 and Sunday, July 1. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets are $60 for regular performances; $45 for preview performances ($42 for regular performances and $32 for preview performances for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or go to www.59e59.org.