John Mahoney To Star In Geffen's 'Seafarer' In April '09

Actor John Mahoney, best known for his decade-long role as Martin Crane on the award-winning sitcom Frasier, is trading his paternal sarcasm for a tipsy Irish brogue in the Geffen Playhouse's upcoming production of The Seafarer set to open in April 2009.

The Seafarer, written by lauded Irish playwright Conor McPherson, is a whiskey-laden tale set in the Dublin home of two brothers on Christmas Eve over a poker game with damningly high stakes.   Mahoney will star as Richard Harkin, the mercurial older brother, who despite the fact that he has recently gone blind, feels much more comfortable leaning on a splash of liquor (or two or three…) than anything else.  Incessantly and happily intoxicated, Richard guides the tale with persistence, depth, and a bit of levity.

The Geffen Playhouse's production marks the west coast premiere of McPherson's 2006 work, which was nominated for four 2008 Tony Awards including Best Play, and will be helmed by Geffen Playhouse artistic director Randall Arney.  Arney, who will be the first director to lead a production other than the playwright himself, will be directing The Seafarer both at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre (where Arney began his career as a company member) as well as at the Geffen Playhouse.

Mahoney, who is currently living in Chicago, will also play the role of Richard in the Steppenwolf production of The Seafarer, which is set to open in December 2008.  In addition to the director and lead actor, the two productions will share many artistic elements including set design by Takeshi Kata, costume design by Janice Pytel, lighting design by Geffen Playhouse production manager Daniel Ionazzi and sound design by Richard Woodbury.  To date, Mahoney is the only cast member who will be participating in both productions.

The Seafarer marks the second time Mahoney will appear at the Geffen Playhouse in a Conor McPherson play, directed by Randall Arney.  The team worked together in the playhouse's 2001 acclaimed production of The Weir.

Mahoney, who began his acting career on stage at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre in the early eighties, won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor for his role in The House of Blue Leaves.  Mahoney's numerous films include Moonstruck, Say Anything, In the Line of Fire and Primal Fear.  For his role on Frasier, which began in 1993, he was nominated for two Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.  Recently, Mahoney has returned to theater with the Broadway revival of Prelude to a Kiss at the Roundabout Theatre Company and the world premiere of Better Late at the Northlight Theatre.

The Seafarer (West Coast Premiere)
Written by Conor McPherson
Directed by Randall Arney

 
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, April 14, to Sunday, May 24, 2009
Previews:  Tuesday, April 14 to Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Opening Night:  Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Tuesday through Thursday                    7:30 p.m.
Fridays                                                 8:00 p.m.
Saturdays                                             4:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Sundays                                               2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

 
TICKET INFO

Tickets ($35 to $74) are on sale now at the Geffen Playhouse box office, online at GeffenPlayhouse.com, via credit card phone order at 310.208.5454, at all Ticketmaster outlets, or by calling Ticketmaster at 213.365.3500.

Student rush tickets are available one hour prior to curtain for $15.

ABOUT THE GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE

The Geffen Playhouse has been a hub of the Los Angeles theater scene since opening its doors in 1995. Noted for its intimacy and celebrated for its world-renowned mix of classic and contemporary plays, provocative new works and musicals, the Geffen Playhouse continues to present a body of work that has garnered national recognition. Named in honor of entertainment mogul and philanthropist David Geffen, who made the initial donation to the theater, the company is helmed by Producing Director and President of the Board Gilbert (Gil) Cates, Artistic Director Randall Arney and Chairman of the Board Frank Mancuso.  Proudly associated with UCLA, the Geffen Playhouse welcomes an audience of more than 130,000 each year, and maintains an extensive education and outreach program, designed to engage young people and the community at large in the arts. For more information, please visit geffenplayhouse.com.