Joel Grey to Direct ON BORROWED TIME at Two River Theatre, 9/14-10/13

Two River Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst, launches its 2013-2014 Season with Paul Osborn's On Borrowed Time, directed by Tony and Academy Award-winner Joel Grey. Performances will begin in Two River's Rechnitz Theater (21 Bridge Avenue) on Saturday, September 14 and continue through Sunday, October 13. The opening night performance is Friday, September 20 at 8:00 p.m..

"On Borrowed Time is a too-rarely-seen American classic that is ripe for rediscovery," says Artistic Director John Dias. "Three years ago, when I became Two River's Artistic Director, one of the first calls I made was to Joel Grey; we first worked together 25 years ago and I knew I wanted him to work in some capacity at this theater. When he suggested On Borrowed Time-a play that has meant a lot to him in his own history-I was struck by how relevant, beautiful, and moving it is. This year, as we celebrate Two River's 20-year history of developing and producing great American theater, it feels especially right to present this masterpiece on its 75th anniversary."

Two River Theater is opening its 20th Anniversary Season with this magical fantasy about the love between a little boy nicknamed "Pud" (Oakes Fegley) and his Gramps (Robert Hogan). When Death himself pays them a visit in the form of a man named Mr. Brink (Tom Nelis), Gramps outwits him-trapping Brink in a tree and refusing to let him down. The cast also features Alex Garfin (Boy), Brian Gildea (Workman), Brian Michael Hoffman (Mr. Grimes), Betsy Hogg (Marcia Giles), Patrick Husted (Mr. Pilbeam), Diane Kagan (Granny), Angela Reed (Demetria Riffle), Steven Skybell (Dr. Evans), Lorenzo Villanueva (Workman), John Thomas Waite (Sherriff), andSnickers (Betty).

Director Joel Grey made his theatrical debut at the age of 9 as an actor in the 1941 Cleveland Play House production of On Borrowed Time. The play premiered on Broadway, under the direction of Joshua Logan, in 1938, one year before playwright and screenwriter Paul Osborn's Morning's at Seven, debuted. On Borrowed Time was filmed in 1939, starring Lionel Barrymore as Gramps.

Grey most recently co-directed the Tony Award-winning revival of The Normal Heart (2011 Tony Award nomination and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play). He won Tony and Academy Awards for his now iconic performance as the Emcee in Cabaret; he is one of only nine actors to be honored with both awards for the same role. His other Broadway credits include Chicago (1996), Wicked (2003), and Anything Goes (2011). In addition to his work for stage, screen, and television, Grey is also an accomplished photographer. He has three books of photographs, Pictures I Had to Take (2003), Looking Hard at Unexamined Things (2006) and 1.3 - Images From My Phone (2009). His fourth monograph, The Billboard Papers, will be published this fall in connection with an exhibit at the Steven Kasher Gallery in New York from September 12-October 19, 2013.

The creative team for On Borrowed Time includes scenic designer Michael Carnahan; Tony Award-winning costume designer Ann Hould-Ward; Tony Award-winning lighting designer Jennifer Tipton; sound designer/composers Nathan A. Roberts & Charles Coes; wig and makeup designer Tom Watson; and fight director J. Steven White. Animals provided by William Berloni Theatrical Animals, Inc. The casting is by Cindy Tolan & Adam S. Caldwell, the associate director is Dave Solomon, and the stage manager is Rick Steiger.

Ticket prices range from $37 to $65, with discounts available for groups, seniors, and U.S. military personnel, their families, and veterans. A limited number of $20 tickets are available for every performance; $20 tickets may be partial view. Tickets for patrons under 30 are $24 and include the best available seats at every performance. All prices are subject to change. Tickets are available from tworivertheater.org or 732.345.1400.

The performance schedule will be as follows: Saturday, September 14 at 8pm; Sunday, September 15 at 3pm; Tuesday, September 17 at 8pm; Wednesday, September 18 at 7pm;Thursday, September 19 at 8pm; Friday, September 20 at 8pm (Opening Night); Saturday, September 21 at 3pm and 8pm; Sunday, September 22 at 3pm; Wednesday, September 25 at 1pm and 7pm; Thursday, September 26 at 8pm; Friday, September 27 at 8pm; Saturday, September 28 at 3pm and 8pm; Sunday, September 29 at 3pm;Wednesday, October 2 at 1pm and 7pm; Thursday, October 3 at 8pm; Friday, October 4 at 8pm; Saturday, October 5 at 3pm and 8pm; Sunday, October 6 at 3pm; Wednesday, October 9 at 1pm and 7pm; Thursday, October 10 at 10am (student matinee) and 8pm; Friday, October 11 at 8pm; Saturday, October 12 at 3pm and 8pm; and Sunday, October 13 at 3pm

For information on special programming and theater accessibility, please visit tworivertheater.org.

The lead production sponsor is Ann and Thomas Unterberg and the co-sponsors are Brookdale Community College and ZAIS Group, LLC. The opening-night sponsors for the 2013-2014 Season are Via 45, Flowers on Front, and Spirits Unlimited.

Two River Theater's 20th Anniversary Season is supported in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a division within the Department of State and a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, The Chicago Community Trust, The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, Jewish Communal Fund, New Tamarind Fund, The Columbus Foundation, The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The Stone Foundation of New Jersey, Monmouth University, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, Durso Wealth Management Group at Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, Investors Bank, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, Springpoint Senior Living Foundation at the Atrium at Navesink Harbor, and many other generous foundations, corporations and individuals.

TWO RIVER THEATER, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst, is dedicated to producing great classics from the American and world stage, creating new plays and musicals for the American theater, and serving its diverse and multigenerational community through unique partnerships and education programs. Founded in 1994 by Joan and Dr. Robert M. Rechnitz, Two River Theater is a member of the League of Resident Theaters (LORT), Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, and ArtPride New Jersey, and has been designated a "Major Arts Institution" by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Visit tworivertheater.org.

Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter-Keddy