Crudup, Esparza, Williams & More to Star in ARCADIA; Begins at Barrymore Theatre on Feb. 25

 

ARCADIA, Tom Stoppard's play, will return to New York this spring for a limited engagement in an acclaimed new production directed by five-time Tony Award nominee David Leveaux. ARCADIA arrives on Broadway from the West End where this production became an sold out hit in 2009.

The Broadway cast will include Margaret Colin, Billy Crudup, Raúl Esparza, Glenn Fleshler, Grace Gummer, Edward James Hyland, Byron Jennings, Bel Powley, Tom Riley, Noah Robbins, David Turner and Lia Williams.

ARCADIA will begin previews at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street) on Friday, February 25, 2011 with an opening night set for Thursday, March 17, 2011. Tickets for this limited engagement are on sale through Sunday, June 19, 2011. Tickets are on sale now online at Telecharge.com or by calling (212) 239-6200.

In a statement, playwright Sir Tom Stoppard said, "Since its first production in 1993, ARCADIA has become the play of mine which has been done the most in the U.S., so I'm really delighted that it's coming back to New York. David Leveaux and I have had very good experiences on Broadway with Jumpers and The Real Thing, so I'm especially pleased that ARCADIA is returning under his direction."

Billy Crudup, who received a 2007 Tony Award for his performance in Stoppard's The Coast of Utopia, made his Broadway debut in the 1995 production of ARCADIA, in the role of ‘Septimus Hodge.' In this upcoming production, he will play ‘Bernard Nightingale.' Crudup also received Tony nominations for his work in The Pillowman (2005), and The Elephant Man (2002). Raúl Esparza (Valentine Coverly) has received four Tony Award nominations for starring roles on Broadway in Speed the Plow (2009), The Homecoming (2008), Company (2007) and Taboo (2004). Lia Williams (Hannah Jarvis) made her Broadway debut in David Hare's Skylight for which see received a 1997 Tony Award nomination (and an Olivier Award nomination in London).

David Leveaux's previous collaborations with Tom Stoppard include the Tony Award-winning revival of The Real Thing (which also played at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Broadway) and the Tony-nominated revival of Jumpers. For both productions, he received Tony Award nominations for his direction. He also received Tony nominations for his direction of Nine, Anna Christie, and A Moon for the Misbegotten.

ARCADIA is produced on Broadway by Sonia Friedman Productions, Roger Berlind, Stephanie P. McClelland, Scott M. Delman, Robert G. Bartner, Olympus Theatricals and Doug Smith.

ARCADIA is set in April 1809 in a stately home in Derbyshire. Thomasina, a gifted pupil, proposes a startling theory, beyond her comprehension. All around her, the adults, including her tutor Septimus, are preoccupied with secret desires, illicit passions and professional rivalries. Two hundred years later, academic adversaries Hannah and Bernard (Lia Williams and Billy Crudup) are piecing together puzzling clues, curiously recalling those events of 1809, in their quest for an increasingly elusive truth.

The creative team for ARCADIA will be announced at a later date.

ARCADIA performance schedule: Monday through Saturday at 8pm, with matinees Wednesday and Saturday 2pm through March 20, 2011. Beginning the week of March 21, performances are Tuesday at 7pm, Wednesday at 2pm & 8pm, Thursday at 7pm, Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 2pm & 8pm and Sunday at 3pm.

For more information, visit www.arcadiabroadway.com.

ARCADIA premiered in London in 1993 and was instantly proclaimed a modern masterpiece. Writing about the play for the 1995 Broadway premiere Vincent Canby wrote in The New York Times, "There's no doubt about it. ARCADIA is Tom Stoppard's richest, most ravishing comedy to date, a play of wit, intellect, language, brio and, new for him, emotion. It's like a dream of levitation: you're instantaneously aloft, soaring, banking, doing loop-the-loops and then, when you think you're about to plummet to earth, swooping to a gentle touchdown of not easily described sweetness and sorrow."

The many awards ARCADIA has received include the Olivier Award and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play.

BIOGRAPHIES

Tom Stoppard (Playwright). Tom Stoppard's work for the stage includes: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, The Real Inspector Hound, Jumpers, Travesties, Night and Day, The Real Thing, Hapgood, Indian Ink, The Invention of Love, The Coast of Utopia (winner of the most Tony Awards of any new play on Broadway) and Rock 'n' Roll. His translations and adaptations include works by Lorca, Nestroy, Schnitzler, Molnar, Pirandello and Chekhov. Among his television credits are: Professional Foul and Squaring the Circle. Film work includes: Billy Bathgate, Empire of the Sun, Enigma and Shakespeare in Love. He directed the film of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. For radio he has written: If You're Glad, I'll Be Frank, Albert's Bridge and In the Native State. In 2006 Stoppard's multi award-winning Rock 'n' Roll opened at the Royal Court. The production, directed by Trevor Nunn, subsequently enjoyed a sell-out West End run as well as a season on Broadway produced by Sonia Friedman Productions.

David Leveaux (Director). Recent productions include: Rudolph (Vienna); A Doll's House (Tokyo); Three Sisters (Abbey, Dublin); Cyrano with Kevin Kline and Jennifer Garner plus the Broadway production of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie with Jessica Lange, and Fiddler on the Roof. Previous Broadway productions include: Tom Stoppard's Jumpers (Tony Award nomination for Outstanding Direction); Nine with Antonio Banderas (Tony Award for Best Revival and nomination for Outstanding Direction); Stoppard's The Real Thing (Tony Award for Best Revival); Harold Pinter's Betrayal with Juliette Binoche; Electra with Zoë Wanamaker (Tony Award nomination); Eugene O'Neill's Anna Christie with Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson (Tony Award for Best Revival); and A Moon for the Misbegotten with Kate Nelligan (Tony Award nomination for Outstanding Direction). Other theatre includes: Sinatra Live at the London Palladium and Jumpers (West End); Harold Pinter's No Man's Land, Moonlight with Ian Holm, Betrayal and Neil LaBute's The Distance From Here (Almeida); Stoppard's Jumpers and Strindberg's The Father (National); 'Tis Pity She's a Whore and Romeo and Juliet (RSC). As associate director, productions include: The Real Thing and Electra (Donmar Warehouse) and A Moon for the Misbegotten (Riverside Studios - Society of West End Theatre Award). Opera includes: The Turn of the Screw (Scottish Opera, Tramway); The Marriage of Figaro and Strauss' Salome (English National Opera). In 1993, he formed Theatre Project Tokyo, an independent theatre company with executive producer Hitoshi Kadoi. David is currently artistic consultant to the Tokyo-based Production Company Amuse Inc.

CAST

Margaret Colin (Lady Croom) received a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Play for her work in John Patrick Shanley's Defiance. She made her Broadway debut in the title role of Jackie, for which she received a Theatre World Award. She smoked her way through Roundabout's A Day in the Death of Joe Egg and appeared in Speaking in Tongues. Off-Broadway includes Portrayal, Triptych, Temporary Help, Psychopathia Sexualis, Sight Unseen and The Aristocrats, which garnered her a Drama Desk Award nomination. At the Williamstown Theatre Festival she appeared in Sweet Bird of Youth and On the Razzle. Her film credits include First Daughter, Unfaithful, Blue Car, The Adventures of Sebastian Cole, The Devil's Own, Independence Day, The Butcher's Wife, Something Wild, Like Father Like Son, Three Men and a Baby, True Believer and Amos & Andrew. Television audiences know her from leading roles on "Gossip Girl," "Now and Again" (Saturn Award), "Sibs," "Foley Square," "The Wright Verdicts," "Legwork," "Chicago Hope," "As the World Turns" and numerous films for Lifetime, Showtime and network TV.

Billy Crudup (Bernard Nightingale) most recently starred in Adam Rapp's The Metal Children at the Vineyard Theatre in New York City. Crudup won a Best Performance by a Featured Actor Tony for his role in the Broadway production of The Coast of Utopia, which opened in October 2006. He received Tony nominations for his roles in The Elephant Man and Martin McDonough's The Pillowman in 2005. Crudup made his Broadway debut as ‘Septimus Hodge' in Tom Stoppard's Arcadia, directed by Trevor Nunn, which won him several awards, including the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Debut of an Actor and a Theater World Award. He was also honored with the Clarence Derwent Award from Actor's Equity for Outstanding Broadway Debut. Crudup has appeared on Broadway in William Inge's Bus Stop and in the Roundabout Theater's production of Three Sisters, which earned him a Drama Desk nomination. He also appeared in Oedipus with Frances McDormand, starred in the New York Shakespeare Festival production of Measure for Measure at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, and starred in the off-Broadway run of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui opposite Al Pacino and Steve Buscemi. Crudup received his Masters of Fine Arts from New York University and also attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He resides in New York City.

RAÚL ESPARZA (Valentine Coverly). Since making his Broadway debut in the revival of The Rocky Horror Show (Theatre World Award), Raúl Esparza has taken the theater world by storm. He has become only the second actor to receive Tony nominations in all four eligible acting categories. His credits include Speed the Plow (Tony, Drama Desk nominations, Best Actor in a Play), The Homecoming (Tony nomination, Best Featured Actor in a Play), Company (Tony nomination, Drama Desk Award, Best Actor in a Musical), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Taboo (Tony nomination, Drama Desk Award, Best Featured Actor in a Musical) and Cabaret. He appeared in Shakespeare in the Park's Twelfth Night and he has appeared Off-Broadway in The Normal Heart, Comedians and tick, tick... BOOM!, which earned him an Obie Award. In 2005, he received the HOLA José Ferer Acting Award, and was a participant in the 2006 and 2010 Sundance Theatre Lab. Outside New York, Esparza portrayed ‘Che' in the National tour of Evita, and appeared in two musicals at the 2002 Kennedy Center Sondheim Celebration: Sunday in the Park with George and Merrily We Roll Along. His regional theater credits include Leap of Faith at the Center Theatre Group (LA); Company at the Cincinnati Playhouse; Slaughterhouse-Five and Fur at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago; and Arcadia and What the Butler Saw at the Meadow Brook Theatre in Rochester, MI. Esparza made his film debut in Sidney Lumet's 2006 Find Me Guilty. Other films include Wes Craven's My Soul to Take and GWB. He has also appeared on TV in "Law & Order," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," and on ABC television series "Pushing Daisies" (recurring). Esparza's book recording includes Stephen King's best-selling book Under the Dome. His website is www.raulesparza.com

Glenn Fleshler (Captain Brice). Broadway: The Merchant of Venice, A Behanding in Spokane, Guys and Dolls, Spring Awakening. West End: The Lady From Dubuque. Off-Broadway: Mother Courage, Stuff Happens, Measure for Measure (NYSF); King John, Pericles, The Changeling (TFANA), Einstein's Gift, The Adjustment. Film: All Good Things, Henry's Crime, Margaret, A Price Above Rubies T.V.: Recurring roles on "Damages," "Delocated," and "Third Watch" as well as appearances in "The Good Wife," "Fringe," "Bored to Death," "Law & Order," and "Sex and the City."

Grace Gummer (Chloë Coverly) made her professional acting debut in Kristjan Thor's Off-Broadway project The Sexual Neuroses of our Parents. After starring in Teen Nick's series "Gigantic," she just completed her run as ‘Hero' in Much Ado About Nothing at the Kirk Douglas Theater in Los Angeles and will next be seen in Tom Hanks' upcoming film Larry Crowne and J.C. Chandor's Margin Call. Arcadia will mark her Broadway debut.

Edward James HYLAND (Jellaby). Broadway: Festen, The Man Who Had All the Luck; The Price; Ah, Wilderness! Off-Broadway: Juno and the Paycock. Regional: Arena Stage, Williamstown, Shakespeare Theatre (DC), etc. Film/TV: Kinsey, Solos, Cradle Will Rock, The Object of My Affection, "Law & Order," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent."

Byron Jennings (Richard Noakes). Broadway: The Merchant of Venice, Inherit The Wind, Noises Off, Is He Dead?, Macbeth, Accent On Youth, Heartbreak House, A Touch Of The Poet, Twelve Angry Men, The Man Who Came To Dinner, A Month In The Country, Henry IV, Dinner At Eight, The Invention Of Love, Carousel, Sight Unseen. Off-Broadway: The Foreigner, Dealer's Choice, Waste, Don Juan, Stuff Happens, The Merchant of Venice, On The Open Road, Pericles. Television: "Gossip Girl," "White Collar," "Damages," "Kings," "Law & Order," "God In America," "Liberty." Film: Julie & Julia, Hamlet, Civil Action, The Ice Storm, A Time To Kill, Quiz Show, A Simple Twist Of Fate, I'm Losing You.

Bel Powley (Thomasina Coverly) trained at Young Blood Theatre Company. On television, her first role was playing series regular 'Daisy Millar' in "Mi High" for Kudos TV and the BBC. This was quickly followed by the role of 'Emma Clayson' in ITV's "Whistleblowers" and a second series of "Mi High." She also played 'Becky' in "The Bill" for ITV, the role of 'The Flower Girl' in the BBC's award winning "Little Dorrit," 'Letty' in "Victoria Wood's Mid Life Crisis" and the leading role of 'Young Carrie' alongside Robbie Coltrane in ITV's three part drama "Murderland." She has just completed shooting her film debut as 'Sydney' in Hallmark's The Cabin. Her theatre debut in Tusk Tusk and breakout lead role of 'Maggie' won her critical acclaim and an Evening Standard Award nomination for Best Newcomer in 2009. Bel is thrilled to be making her Broadway debut in Arcadia.

Tom Riley (Septimus Hodge). Theatre: Riverside Studios theatre includes Hurts Given And Received. Royal Court Theatre includes Paradise Regained, The Vertical Hour, Posh, Censorship, Victory, The Entertainer, The Woman Before. Film: St. Trinians 2, Happy Ever Afters, Return to the House on Haunted Hill, I Want Candy, A Few Days In September. TV: "Monroe," "Bedlam," "A Bouquet of Barbed Wire," "No Heroics," "Poirot: An Appointment With Death," "Freezing" (Series 1 & 2)," "Lost in Austen," "Lewis" (Series 2), "Casualty 1906 & 1907," "Miss Marple: Ordeal By Innocence," and "Paparazzi." Training: LAMDA

Noah Robbins (Gus Coverly/Augustus Coverly) made his Broadway debut as ‘Eugene Morris Jerome' in the short-lived, but memorable 2009 revival of Brighton Beach Memoirs (Outer Critics Circle nomination) His Off-Broadway debut was as ‘Andy Lipman' in Primary Stages' Secrets of the Trade (Clive Barnes nomination). Starting at the age of 11, he performed in several shows at the Kennedy Center with director/choreographer Debbie Allen. His big break, however, was playing Max Bialystock in an off-off-off-off-off-Broadway production of The Producers at his high school. He is honored to be a part of Arcadia.

David Turner (Ezra Chater). Broadway: Sunday in the Park with George, The Ritz, In My Life, The Invention of Love. Off Broadway: Gutenberg! The Musical!, The Butter and Egg Man (Atlantic Theater Co.), The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) (Century Center), The Last Sunday in June (Rattlestick). Regional: The Bird Sanctuary (Pittsburgh Public, American premiere), The Dog in the Manger (Shakespeare Theatre Co.). Six seasons at Williamstown: Camino Real, As You Like It, The Skin of Our Teeth, Tonight at 8:30, The Servant of Two Masters, Where's Charley?, A Funny Thing . . . Forum. Touring: Monty Python's Spamalot. TV: "The Good Wife," "Lipstick Jungle." Pianist: Christopher Fitzgerald at Feinstein's. Screenwriter/Director: The Debut. Recipient of two Helen Hayes Award nominations and BMI's Jerry Harrington Award for Outstanding Achievement as a Composer/Lyricist. Board member of ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty). Education: BA,Williams College. CELTA (Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults), Cambridge University TESOL.

Lia Williams (Hannah Jarvis). Broadway: Skylight (Tony Nomination). National Theatre: Earthquakes in London, The Hothouse, Mappa Mundi, Skylight (Olivier Nomination). Other theatre: As You Like It (Royal Shakespeare Company); Absurd Person Singular; The Revengers' Comedies (awarded Most Promising Newcomer by The Critics' Circle and nominated for Best Comedy Performance 1992 SWET Awards); The Homecoming; God of Carnage; The Lady from the Sea; Eccentricities of a Nightingale; Daisy Pulls it Off (Globe); Body Language (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough); King Lear and Oleanna (Royal Court, the latter also at the Duke of York's); The Lover; The Collection; Celebration; The Room; Outside Broadcast (Birmingham Rep); Spotted Dick (Palace Watford); She Stoops to Conquer (Leeds Playhouse). Recent TV: "Doc Martin," "Miss Marple," "A Touch of Frost," "The Last Detective," "May 33rd," "Sparkling Cyanide Happy Families," "Girls on Top," "No Place Like Home," "The Yob," "Les Girls," "Filthy Lucre," "Bread," "Casualty," "Shrinks," "Nightingales," "Mr Wroe's Virgins," "Seaforth," "Annika," "Flowers of the Forest," "The Uninvited," "Dirty Weekend," "A Shot Through the Heart," "Imogen's Face," "Bad Blood," "The Russian Bride" (FIPA Award), "The Lives of Animals," "Silent Witness." Films: Dirty Weekend, The Fifth Province, Firelight, Different for Girls, The King is Alive, Girl from Rio, Jonathan Toomey.