Lysy Joins Rossum and More as Williamstown's Romeo

The Williamstown Theatre Festival announces that Austin Lysy will play Romeo in ROMEO AND JULIET, directed by Will Frears. Mr. Lysy is currently appearing off-Broadway in THE WATER'S EDGE. Mr. Lysy received critical praise for his performance in this production. Ben Brantley, of The New York Times, wrote, "Mr. Lysy's touchingly eloquent awkwardness resharpens the edges of the archetypal young man frozen in eternal adolescence." At Williamstown, Mr. Lysy has appeared in THE WATER'S EDGE, THE CHEKHOV CYCLE, PHILADELPHIA HERE I AM and LOOT.

Mr. Lysy joins a cast that includes Emmy Rossum (Film: Poseidon, The Phantom of the Opera, Mystic River and The Day After Tomorrow) as Juliet, Bill Camp (Broadway: THE SEAGULL and AN AMERICAN LIFE) as Friar Laurence, Kristine Nielsen (Broadway: A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE and THE ICEMAN COMETH) as the Nurse, Daniel Oreskes (Broadway: AIDA) as Capulet, Remy Auberjonois (Off-Broadway: THE INTELLIGENT DESIGN OF JENNY CHOW) as Tybalt , Benjamin Walker (Williamstown: LADY WINDEREMERE'S FAN) as Mercutio, Enid Graham (Broadway: HONOUR – Tony nomination, THE CONSTANT WIFE, DINNER AT EIGHT and FORTUNE'S FOOL) as Lady Capulet, Paul O'Brien (Broadway: DEMOCRACY, KING LEAR and THE CRUCIBLE) as Montague, Sandra Shipley (Broadway: RETREAT FROM MOSCOW and VINCENT IN BRIXTON) as Lady Montague.

Romeo & Juliet plays August 2 to 13. Performances are Tuesday through Friday at 8:00pm , Saturday at 8:30pm, with matinees Thursday at 3:00pm , Saturday at 4:00pm, and Sunday at 2:00pm . Tickets are available by phone at 413.597.3400, at the Festival Box Office and at wtfestival.org.

The Festival presents UNCLE SAM I AM: A 4th OF JULY CELEBRATION, which plays Tuesday, June 27 through Friday June 30 nightly at 7pm on the Nikos Stage.

UNCLE SAM I AM is a rousing evening of songs, poetry and historical speeches. It is created and directed by Sam Breslin Wright with musical direction by Kris Kukul. Mr. Wright is celebrating his 9 th Season at the Festival. He has appeared on Broadway in MACBETH and on TV in Rescue Me and Law & Order. Mr. Kukul is a veteran of the Williamstown Cabaret and The Public Theatre's Shakespeare in the Park.

Remy Auberjonois leads the cast of UNCLE SAM I AM. He has appeared Off-Broadway in THE INTELLIGENT DESIGN OF JENNY CHOW, for which he received the 2006 OBIE award. He has also appeared on TV in Sex and the City, ER, and The Sopranos. He also appears this summer at Williamstown as Moonface Martin in ANYTHING GOES and Tybalt in ROMEO AND JULIET.

Tickets for UNCLE SAM I AM are free and available by phone at 413.597.3400, and at the Festival Box Office.

Williamstown Theatre Festival Performances are held at The '62 Center for Theatre and Dance of Williams College 1000 Main St., on Route 2, Williamstown , Massachusetts.