Michael McKean Joins Cast of OUR TOWN At Barrow Street, New Block Of Tix On Sale

Producers Scott Morfee, Jean Doumanian and Tom Wirtshafter announced today the latest arrival to Grover's Corners: Academy Award-nominee Michael McKean will join the cast in the role of ‘The Stage Manager' in David Cromer's acclaimed production of Thornton Wilder's Our Town, beginning June 2nd at the Barrow Street Theatre, succeeding Michael Shannon, who gave his final performance yesterday evening (Sunday). During the interim, Robert Beitzel will fill in as "The Stage Manager."

Mr. McKean, who will begin performances on June 2nd, previously appeared on the New York stage in Superior Donuts, The Pajama Game, The Homecoming, Hairspray and Accomplice (Theatre World Award) on Broadway; and Woody Allen's A Second Hand Memory Off-Broadway.

The New York production of Our Town began performances on February 17, 2009, with an official opening night on February 26, 2009 where it received rave reviews at the downtown venue. Our Town went on to win the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Production and Outstanding Direction and Obie Award for Outstanding Director. This current staging of Our Town enters its second year on February 26th and became the longest-running production of the play in its 72-year history with its record-breaking 337th performance on December 16, 2009.

The complete cast of Our Town includes (in alphabetical order) Elizabeth Audley as Mrs. Soames, Robert Beitzel as Howie Newsome, Kati Brazda as Mrs. Webb, Will Brill as Joe Crowell, Jr, Nathan Dame as Sam Craig, Roger E. DeWitt as Joe Stoddard, Donna Jay Fulks as Mrs. Gibbs, Emma Galvin as Rebecca Gibbs, Jennifer Grace as Emily Webb, Wilbur Edwin Henry as Professor Willard, Mark Hattan as Constable Warren, Ben Livingston as Doc Gibbs, David Manis as Mr. Webb, Jonathan Mastro as Simon Stimson, Michael McKean as the Stage Manager, James McMenamin as George Gibbs, Seamus Mulcahy as Wally Webb, Jason Yachanin as Si Crowell, with Dana Jacks, Lynn Laurence, Kathleen Peirce, Keith Perry and Mark Shock.

Our Town is produced by Scott Morfee, Jean Doumanian, Tom Wirtshafter, Ted Snowdon, Eagle Productions, Dena Hammerstein/Pam Pariseau, The Weinstein Company, and Burnt Umber Productions.

The performance schedule is as follows: Tuesday - Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Tickets are priced at $69 & $49.50 and are available through SmartTix (212) 868-4444, www.smarttix.com, or at the Barrow Street Theatre box office (open at 1 p.m. daily). Student tickets at $20 are available on the day of performance only at the box office. New block of tickets now on sale through September 12, 2010.

Barrow Street Theatre is located at 27 Barrow Street at 7th Avenue South in the heart of Greenwich Village. Nearby subway stops are the 1 at Christopher Street (walk 1 block South on 7th Avenue to Barrow) and the A, C, E, B, D, F and V at West 4th (walk West on 4th Street, left on Barrow).

Michael McKean ("Stage Manager") appeared most recently on Broadway in Superior Donuts. His other Broadway credits include the critically-acclaimed 2008 revival of Harold Pinter's The Homecoming, for which he received a Drama Desk award for Best Ensemble the 2006, the Tony Award-winning revival of The Pajama Game, Hairspray and Accomplice (Theatre World Award). Off-Broadway: Woody Allen's A Second Hand Memory. London: Love Song. Chicago: Steppenwolf's Superior Donuts. TV: Series regular on "Laverne & Shirley," "Dream On," "Sessions," "Tracy Takes On," "Saturday Night Live," "Primetime Glick." Guest appearances include "Friends," "The X Files," "The Simpsons," "Law & Order," "Smallville," "Alias," "Boston Legal." Film: This is Spinal Tap (also co-wrote), Clue, Coneheads, The Brady Bunch Movie, True Crime, Jack, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration, Whatever Works and many more. Mr. McKean most recently toured 30 U.S. cities with the "Unwigged & Unplugged" concert and appeared in the "One Night Only World Tour" as lead singer/guitarist with Spinal Tap at Wembley Arena. He has composed music for several films and co-wrote the Grammy-winning theme to A Mighty Wind (with Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy), the Oscar-nominated A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow (with wife Annette O'Toole) and the recently released Spinal Tap record titled Back From The Dead.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.