LCT's A MINISTER'S WIFE Opens Tonight

Lincoln Center Theater's production of A MINISTER'S WIFE, a new musical with book by Austin Pendleton, music by Joshua Schmidt and lyrics by Jan Levy Tranen, based on Candida by George Bernard Shaw, conceived and directed by Michael Halberstam, will officially open tonight, Sunday, May 8, at 6:45pm.

The cast for A MINISTER'S WIFE features Liz Baltes, Kate Fry, Drew Gehling, Marc Kudisch and Bobby Steggert.

Based on George Bernard Shaw's Candida, A MINISTER'S WIFE explores the fires burning beneath the surface of a seemingly ordinary marriage. The Revered James Morell (Marc Kudisch) and his wife, Candida (Kate Fry), are happily married - or at least they think - until a romantic young poet, Marchbanks, (Bobby Steggert) enters their life. A MINISTER'S WIFE had its world premiere last spring at Writers' Theatre in Glencoe, Illinois.

A MINISTER'S WIFE has sets by Allen Moyer, costumes by David Zinn, lighting by Keith Parham, sound by Scott Stauffer, orchestrations by Joshua Schmidt, musical direction by Richard Carsey and is conducted by Tim Splain.

Austin Pendleton is an actor, director and playwright whose recent plays include Booth, Orson's Shadow and Uncle Bob. His New York directing credits include Three Sisters (Classic Stage Company, Uncle Vanya (also at the CSC), Michael Weller's Fifty Words (MCC) and Barbara Eda-Young's Lillian Yuralis (La MaMa). Joshua Schmidt composed the music for the multi-award winning musical, Adding Machine. His other off-Broadway credits include the music for LCT's production of When The Rain Stops Falling, Fifty Words (MCC), Crime and Punishment (59E59 Theatres) and Candida (Jean Cocteau Repertory). He is an Artistic Associate at Writers' Theatre. JAN LEVY TRANEN's credits include the lyrics for the one-act opera, Night in Sarajevo and the book and lyrics for the musicals, Crazy Mary, based on the life of Mary Todd Lincoln, and Steadfast the One Legged Tin Soldier, a family holiday musical. Michael Halberstam is the artistic director and co-founder of Writers' Theatre where he has directed more than 30 productions including Look Back In Anger, Benefactors, Othello and The Duchess of Malfi.

A MINISTER'S WIFE will be performed Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8pm, with matinees Wednesday and Saturdays at 2pm and Sundays at 3pm. (Please note: there is no Saturday matinee on April 9 and no Sunday matinee on May 8).

Tickets to A MINISTER'S WIFE, priced at $75 and $85, are available at the Lincoln Center Theater box office (150 West 65 Street), at telecharge.com, or by visiting www.lct.org.