Lucas, Playten, Robards, Etc. Round Out SpeakEasy Cast

Josh Lucas (Poseidon, The Glass Menagerie), Jake Robards (You and I, V.O, Our Town), Dorian Missick (Six Degrees), and Alice Playten (Caroline, or Change, Seussical) have joined the cast of The Fire Dept Theater Company's Speakeasy.

The Fire Dept Theater Company presents SpeakEasy, a giant play written by Fire Dept members Rob Ackerman, Suzanne Bradbeer, Anton Dudley, Brian Keith Jackson, Rajiv Joseph, Laurence Klavan, Carson Kreitzer, Neil LaBute, Edwin Sanchez, Theresa Rebeck, Sheri Wilner and others. Directed by Erica Gould, SpeakEasy will be performed at Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette Street) for 3 performances only, October 22, 23, and 24 at 9:30pm each evening.

Also joining the company are: Lucas Blondheim (Hecuba), Jim Bracchitta, David Calvitto (America Absurdum), Carla Cantrelle (Marie: A True Story), Nadia Dajani (Emily's Reasons Why Not, "Sex in the City"), Arjun Gupta, Sarah Hayon, Steven Ratazzi (The Venture Brothers), Tony Torn (The Warriors, Claudine's Return), and Jasper Peterson.

They join the already announced Janeane Garafalo (The Truth About Cats and Dogs, Reality Bites, Now and Then), Chuck Cooper (Caroline, or Change, The Life), Kathleen Chalfant (Wit, Angels In America), Amelia Campbell (Tony nominee, Our Country's Good, Tryst, The Herbal Bed), Jeremy Schwartz (The Last Carburetor, Karla), Judith Hawking (Voices In The Dark, Ivanov), Jessica Blank (The Exonerated, "Rescue Me"), Audrey Rosenberg ("A Talent for Trouble"), and Antoinette LaVecchia ("The Sopranos").

"Short interconnected plays by different writers, ranging in length from 2 to 10 minutes, are woven together to create a cohesive story with beginning, middle, and end. SpeakEasy grew out of a short play by LaBute featuring Mos Def that Gould directed for the MCC Benefit at Circle in the Square in January, 2005," state press materials.

"When the audience enters, the space comes to life, surrounding the spectator with the bizarre, the comic, the seductive, and the sublime. Neo-Vaudeville meets social satire in this giant play with environmental staging, original music, and compelling new writing."

SpeakEasy is the launch production of The Fire Dept, a new theater company founded by Jessica Blank, Erica Gould, and Audrey Rosenberg. SpeakEasy is presented by Joe's Pub and produced by Audrey Rosenberg.

Tickets for SpeakEasy are $25, and the show plays at Joe's Pub at The Public Theatre (425 Lafayette Street) from October 22-24, 2006. Tickets can be purchased at The Public Theater Box Office or through Telecharge at 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com. For more information, please visit: www.thefiredept.org