Chicago Company of MTC & Steppenwolf's AIRLINE HIGHWAY Will Reprise Roles on Broadway; Julie White Joins Cast!

Lynne Meadow and Barry Grove have announced initial Broadway casting for Manhattan Theatre Club's presentation of Steppenwolf Theatre Company's production of Airline Highway, the new play by Pulitzer Prize finalist Lisa D'Amour (Detroit), directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello (Casa Valentina, Take Me Out).

The Broadway cast of Airline Highway will feature Carolyn Braver (Steppenwolf's Leveling Up, "Chicago Fire"), Tony Award nominee and Steppenwolf ensemble member K. Todd Freeman (Steppenwolf's The Song of Jacob Zulu, Fetch Clay/Make Man), Scott Jaeck (Steppenwolf's August: Osage County, The Irish Curse), Ken Marks (Father Comes Home from the Wars), Caroline Neff (Older Children, Steppenwolf's The Way West), Tim Edward Rhoze (Steppenwolf's The Crucible and Wendell Green), Judith Roberts (Present Laughter, "Orange Is The New Black"), Joe Tippett (Ashville, Ghost Brothers of Darkland County), and Tony Award winner Julie White (The Little Dog Laughed, From Up Here).

Additional casting for the 16-person ensemble will be announced in the coming weeks.

The limited engagement of Airline Highway will begin previews Wednesday, April 1, 2015 and open Thursday, April 23, 2015 at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street).

In the parking lot of The Hummingbird, a once-glamorous motel on New Orleans' infamous Airline Highway, a group of friends gather. A rag-tag collection of strippers, hustlers and philosophers have come together to celebrate the life of Miss Ruby, an iconic burlesque performer who has requested a funeral before she dies. The party rages through the night as old friends resurface to pay their respects. Airline Highway is a boisterous and moving ode to the outcasts that make life a little more interesting. MTC is proud to present this Steppenwolf production by the writer of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated Detroit, and helmed by the Tony®-winning director of Take Me Out and Casa Valentina.

The creative team for Airline Highway includes Scott Pask (scenic design), David Zinn (costume design), Japhy Weideman (lighting design), and Fitz Patton (original music and sound design).

Airline Highway was commissioned and developed by Steppenwolf Theatre Company with support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Prior to coming to MTC, Airline Highway received its world premiere at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre (December 4, 2014 - February 14, 2015).

Manhattan Theatre Club, under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, has become one of the country's most prominent and prestigious theatre companies. Over the past four and a half decades, MTC productions have earned numerous awards including six Pulitzer Prizes and 19 Tony Awards. MTC has a Broadway home at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street) and two Off-Broadway theatres at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street). Renowned MTC productions include Constellations; Casa Valentina; Outside Mullingar; The Assembled Parties; Venus in Fur; Master Class; Good People; The Whipping Man; Time Stands Still; The Royal Family; Ruined; Come Back, Little Sheba; Blackbird; 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.' For more information on MTC, please visit www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company is America's longest standing, most distinguished ensemble theater, producing nearly 700 performances and events annually in its three Chicago theater spaces-the 515-seat Downstairs Theatre, the 299-seat Upstairs Theatre and the 80-seat Garage Theatre. Formed in 1976 by a collective of actors, Steppenwolf has grown into an ensemble of 44 actors, writers and directors. Artistic programming at Steppenwolf includes a five-play Subscription Season, a two-play Steppenwolf for Young Adults season and two repertory series: First Look Repertory of New Work and Garage Rep. While firmly grounded in the Chicago community, nearly 40 original Steppenwolf productions have enjoyed success both nationally and internationally, including Off-Broadway, Broadway, London, Galway, Sydney and Dublin. Steppenwolf has the distinction of being the only theater to receive the National Medal of Arts, in addition to numerous other prestigious honors including an Illinois Arts Legend Award and 12 Tony Awards. Martha Lavey is the Artistic Director and David Schmitz is the Managing Director. Nora Daley is Chair of Steppenwolf's Board of Trustees. For additional information, visit steppenwolf.org, facebook.com/steppenwolftheatre and twitter.com/steppenwolfthtr.

Tickets for Airline Highway are available by calling Telecharge at 212-239-6200, online by visiting www.Telecharge.com, or by visiting the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre Box Office (261 West 47th Street). Ticket prices are $67 - $130.

Subscriptions for MTC's 2014-2015 season are available by calling (212) 399-3050 (Monday through Friday NOON - 9 PM, Saturday 10 AM - 3 PM) or online at www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com.