David Alan Grier Et. Al Set For Bay Street Harbor's Comedy Club Series 7/19

Bay Street Theatre has announced its scheduled performers for its summer Comedy Club series. Among others, David Alan Grier is set to appear on July 19.

Other performers who will take part in the series are Jake Johansen (July 12), Jim Breuer (July 26), David Brenner (August 7), Ralphie May (August 16), Joe Piscopo and Bobby Slaton (August 23), and Jamie Kennedy (August 30).

For more information, visit http://www.baystreet.org/.

Although David Alan Grier has been known for his ability to create comedy and humor, the graduate of the Yale School of Drama has successfully made the diverse jump from theatre to television to film and still alternates between all three. Trained in Shakespeare at Yale, Grier began his professional career on Broadway as Jackie Robinson in "The First," for which he earned a Tony nomination in 1981. He then joined the cast of Dreamgirls, went on to star opposite Denzel Washington in A Soldier's Play, and both actors continued their roles in the film version, "A Soldier's Story." Grier's extraordinary performance in the role attracted the attention of Robert Altman, who cast him into a lead role in his film adaptation of David Rabe's "Streamers." The ensemble cast of "Streamers" won the Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival in 1983. Grier has gained recognition for many additional feature film roles, including "Baadasssss!" for director Mario Van Peebles, "The Woodsman" opposite Kevin Bacon and Mos Def, "15 Minutes," "Boomerang," "Bewitched," and "Jumanji." David also co-wrote, produced and appeared in the independent film "Poker House," Lori Petty's directorial debut. Grier's other theatre credits include the lead role of Pseudolus in the Broadway revival of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and well as the New York Shakespeare Festival productions of Richard III and The Merry Wives of Windsor at Central Park. In 2006, David joined the La Jolla Playhouse's staging of The Wiz for Des McAnuff. David Alan Grier is currently appearing in David Mamet's Race on Broadway.

Bay Street Theatre is a not-for-profit 299-seat professional regional theatre situated on Long Wharf, in Sag Harbor, NY, and founded in 1991 by Sybil Christopher, Stephen Hamilton and Emma Walton.

Operating from March through December, Bay Street is dedicated to presenting new, classic and contemporary works, which challenge as well as entertain, speak to our diverse community and champion the human spirit. It is our mission to create an artistic haven, where an extended family of established and emerging artists may flourish in an atmosphere free from commercial pressures. It is our commitment to exercise fiscal responsibility so that our work might be defined by our imagination as well as our resources. We believe in providing a gathering place for artists and audiences to share a collective theatrical experience that resonates beyond our walls. Our commitment extends to educational programs for all ages to foster the continued value of theatre as a vital art form for future generations.

Many of the productions that premiered or were developed at Bay Street have moved to Broadway, Off-Broadway, regionally and abroad, including NOBODY DON'T LIKE YOGI, HEDDA GABLER, LOVE JANIS, IF LOVE WERE ALL, FULL GALLOP, SWINGTIME CANTEEN and THREE HOTELS. Now in its 18th Season, Bay Street is considered " ...one of the Country's pre-eminent regional theatres" ( CBS Sunday Morning ) and "...in the same league with the best major regional and Off-Broadway theatres." ( Newsday )

In addition to the Mainstage productions, the variety of year-round programs at Bay Street include The Comedy Club, KidStreet, Developmental play workshops, Special Events, and Educational Outreach Initiatives including The Young Playwrights Program, a Summer College Internship Program, Theatre Workshops and Kids Theatre Camps.

Photo Credit: Peter James Zielinski