Casting--and a director--have been assembled for the Roundabout Theatre Company's upcoming production of the classic George Bernard Shaw comedy Heartbreak House, which will begin previews on September 15th and open at the American Airlines Theatre on October 11th.
The play will star
star Swoosie Kurtz,
Byron Jennings,
Lily Rabe and
Laila Robins alongside the previously-announced
Philip Bosco, who will play Captain Shotover. Acclaimed British director Robin Lefevre (
Krapp's Last Tape, Betrayal) will helm the piece, which will also feature Bill Camp (
Jackie, Saint Joan) as Mangan, John Christopher Jones (
Absurd Person Singular, Democracy) as Mazzini Dunn and Jenny Sterlin (
Major Barbara, Design for Living) as Nurse Guinness.
Heartbreak House "follows the unlikely romantic encounters that occur in an estate on the English countryside. Romance springs ever eternal but never mutual, and the most successful relationships have the least to do with love," state press notes.
Kurtz, who will play Hesione Hushabye, is a Tony Award-winner for her performances in
House of Blue Leaves and
Fifth of July. She has also received nominations for her work in
Frozen and
Tartuffe, while other Broadway credits include
Imaginary Friends, Love Letters and
A History of the American Film. She is a nine-time Emmy Award-nominee and regularly appears on "Huff."
Jennings, who will play Hector, was recently seen Off-Broadway in
Stuff Happens. Broadway credits include
A Touch of the Poet, Twelve Angry Men, Sight Unseen, Henry IV, Dinner at Eight, Noises Off and
The Invention of Love.Rabe, who will play Ellie Dunn, was recently seen in MCC's
Colder Than Here and made her Broadway debut in
Steel Magnolias. She has appeared on film in
Mona Lisa Smile, among others.
Robins, who will play Lady Utterwood, has appeared on Broadway in
Frozen, The Herbal Bed and
The Real Thing and Off-Broadway in
Sore Throats, Tiny Alice, The Extra Man and more.
Bosco is a Tony Award-winner for
Lend Me a Tenor, and has also been nominated for
Twelve Angry Men, Moon Over Buffalo, You Never Can Tell, Heartbreak House (in which he previously played Boss Mangan),
Major Barbara and
The Rape of the Belt. Other Broadway credits include
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Copenhagen and
Twelfth Night.
The
Heartbreak House design team includes John Lee Beatty (sets), Jane Greenwood (costumes), Peter Kaczorowski (lights) and Dan Moses Schreier (sound).
Heartbreak House premiered on Broadway on November 20, 1920 at the Garrick Theatre (67 West 35th Street). The show has since been revived three times on Broadway, in 1938, 1959 and 1983. The most recent revival opened on December 7th, 1983 at the Circle in the Square Theatre starring Bosco, Rosemary Harris, Rex Harrison and Dana Ivey.
Roundabout Theatre Company has a long association with George Bernard Shaw's work, having staged over twenty productions since 1971 including
Heartbreak House in 1979. The most recent Shaw plays seen on Roundabout stages include
Major Barbara (2000-2001, dir. Daniel Sullivan),
Arms and the Man (1999-2000, dir. Roger Rees),
You Never Can Tell (1997-1998) and
Misalliance (1996-1997).
Tickets will be available exclusively to American Express Cardmembers beginning Wednesday, August 9th through Friday, Aug 25 online at
Broadway.Yahoo.com, by phone at (212) 719-1300, or at the American Airlines Theatre Box Office (227 West 42nd Street). Public on-sale begins Saturday, August 26th by calling Roundabout Ticket Services at (212)719-1300, online at
www.roundabouttheatre.org or at the American Airlines box office (227 West 42nd St.).
