David Strathairn to Lead UNDERNEATH THE LINTEL at ACT, 10/23-11/17

American Conservatory Theater continues its 2013-14 season with Glen Berger's captivating solo drama Underneath the Lintel, starring Academy Award nominee David Strathairn (Lincoln, Good Night, and Good Luck, Scorched at A.C.T).

In this riveting ghost story, an eccentric librarian finds a weather-beaten book in a return bin-and discovers that it is 113 years overdue. Sparked by a message left in its margins, he sets off on a quest to unravel the secrets of the book and the person who borrowed it. From the hallways of his library, he follows a chain of clues that spans the globe and dates back thousands of years. With astonishing twists and turns, Underneath the Lintel is a magical piece of storytelling that draws audiences into an unforgettable odyssey that is both "powerfully human and ultimately sublime" (Variety). A.C.T.'s production of Underneath the Lintel runs October 23 - November 17, 2013, at The Geary Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco). Press night is Tuesday, October 29, 2013.Tickets ($20 - $95) are on sale now and may be purchased online at act-sf.org or by calling 415.749.2228.

Says A.C.T. Artistic Director Carey Perloff: "One of the things theater has the ability to do best is tell a suspenseful story to a live audience like a ghost story around a campfire. Underneath the Lintel is that kind of story. It grabs you from its first moments and leads you on a wild mysterious circuitous journey around the world, and slowly you realize that what you are doing is travelling deep inside one man's soul. It is a role perfectly suited for the remarkable David Strathairn, who is so charismatic and absolutely seamless as an actor. With David's work, you never see the actor, only the character. I sent him the script last year and he fell in love with this strange mystical librarian who finds a 113-year old overdue ticket in a returned library book and starts the journey of his lifetime to discover why. I can't wait to see where David goes with this!"

The creative team for A.C.T.'s production of Underneath the Lintel includes Carey Perloff (director), Nina Ball (scenic design), Jessie Amoroso (costume design),Alexander V. Nichols (lighting design and projections), and Jake Rodriguez (sound design).

A.C.T.'s production of Underneath the Lintel is made possible by executive producers Jeri Lynn and Jeffrey W. Johnson; producers Celeste and Kevin Ford; Don and Judy McCubbin; David and Carla Riemer; and associate producers Clay Foundation-West; Drs. Caroline Emmett and Russell Rydel; Harvey and Gail Glasser. A.C.T. would like to acknowledge its 2013-14 company sponsors Frannie Fleishhacker; Priscilla and Keith Geeslin; Mr. and Mrs. Gordon P. Getty; Mr. and Mrs. John Goldman; Ambassador James C. Hormel and Michael P. Nguyen; Fred M. Levin and Nancy Livingston, The Shenson Foundation; Burt and Deedee McMurtry; Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock; Patti and Rusty Rueff; Ms. Kathleen Scutchfield; Mary and Steven Swig; Jeff and Laurie Ubben.

A.C.T.'s 2013-14 season continues with the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol; a sumptuous production of George Bernard Shaw's political comedy Major Barbara; a hilarious new translation of Eduardo De Filippo's hilarious and poignant Italian comedy Napoli!; the Northern California premiere of David Ives's captivating cat-and-mouse drama, Venus in Fur; the West Coast premiere of Peter Brook's internationally acclaimed music-infused The Suit; and James Fenton's beautiful reinvention of The Orphan of Zhao, starring the inimitable stage and film star BD Wong.

A.C.T. subscribers enjoy incredible savings, unparalleled access, exclusive benefits, and personalized customer service. Subscriptions can be ordered via the A.C.T. subscriptions office by calling 415.749.2250 or online at www.act-sf.org/subscribe. Subscribers save as much as 33 percent off single-ticket prices. Full-time students, educators, and administrators with valid ID save up to 50 percent off select packages. Senior discounts are available for certain series. A.C.T.'s competitive subscriber benefits include free ticket exchanges up to the day of scheduled tickets, priority seating, ticket insurance, access to convenient prepaid parking one block away from the theater, and discounts for neighborhood restaurants.