Morton, Knight, Stuhlbarg, Swallow, and Bertish Star in Measure for Pleasure, Opening February 2006

The Public Theater's Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Mara Manus announce that the World Premiere of MEASURE FOR PLEASURE, a play by David Grimm, will feature Suzanne Bertish, Wayne Knight ("Seinfeld"), Euan Morton (Tony Award-nominee, Taboo), Michael Stuhlbarg (Tony Award-nominee, The Pillowman) and Emily Swallow. Directed by Peter DuBois, previews of MEASURE FOR PLEASURE are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, February 21, 2006. For more information, visit www.publictheater.org.

Will Blunt is in love with Molly, a young transvestite prostitute. But when Blunt rescues him from a life on the streets, he doesn't count on Molly falling in love with Dashwood, the handsome womanising rake. Restoration comedy meets modern sex farce in this romantic adventure, exploring the elusive nature of happiness; featuring mistaken identities, duels and double-dealings, gay marriage, and the obligatory sex cave.

Suzanne Bertish (Lady Vanity Lustforth). Broadway: Salome (with Al Pacino), The Moliere Comedies (Tony Award nomination), Nicholas Nickelby. Other New York credits: Rosmersholm (LaMaMa E.T.C.), Skirmishes (Manhattan Theatre Club), The Art of Success. West End: An Inspector Calls and Jocasta and the Messenger in Peter Hall's production of the Oedipus plays, Ronald Harwood's Taking Sides directed by Harold Pinter, Ninagowa's Tango at the End of Winter and Les Liasons Dangereuses. Other Royal National Theatre: Anthony Hopkin's King Lear directed by David Hare and Ibsen's Rosmersholm. Royal Shakespeare Company: Nicholas Nickelby (Olivier Award) and The Three Sisters both directed by Trevor Nunn, Othello, Twelfth Night and Pericles.

Wayne Knight (Sir Peter Lustforth). The Public: Though best known for his roles as Newman in "Seinfeld" and Nedry in Jurassic Park, Knight's theater credits include a three-year run in Gemini in 1979, Larry Gelbart's Mastergate, and Art. Knight has performed at Lincoln Center, and regionally. Film: include Gone, JFK, Basic Instinct, To Die For, Rat Race, Dead Again and Dirty Dancing. TV: Six television series, including his role as Officer Don Orville in "3rd Rock From the Sun."

Euan Morton (Molly). Broadway: Taboo (Tony Award nomination, Olivier Award nomination). Other theater credits include: We Will Rock You (the Paul McIntyre workshop/Queen), The Silent Treatment (Finborough Theatre), The Matchstalk Man (Tristan Bates Theatre), The Sexual Life of the Camel (Man in the Moon Theatre), An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf (New End Theatre) and Approaching Zanzibar (Southwark Playhouse, directed by Brennan Street). TV: "The Bill," "Taggart," "Sword of Honour," "The Knock," "Going Out" and "London's Burning." Film: Captain Jack, Wednesday's Child.

Michael Stuhlbarg (Will Blunt). The Public: Twelfth Night, The Winter's Tale, A Dybbuk, Richard II (dir. Steven Berkoff), Henry VIII, All's Well That Ends Well, Woyzeck, As You Like It. Broadway: The Pillowman (Tony Award nomination), The Invention of Love, Cabaret, Taking Sides, Saint Joan, Timon of Athens, The Government Inspector, Three Men on a Horse. Off-Broadway: Belle Epoque, The Mysteries, The Persians, Cymbeline, The Grey Zone, Old Wicked Songs, Sweetbitter Baby, Mad Forest, among numerous others.

Emily Swallow (Hermione Goode). The Public: Much Ado About Nothing (Delacorte). Swallow received her MFA in acting from NYU. Roles at NYU included: Ranevskaya in The Cherry Orchard, Amalia in She Loves Me, Mrs. Warren in Mrs. Warren's Profession. Regional: Ten Minute Play Festival (Guthrie Lab), Sweeney Todd, Carousel (Heritage Repertory Theatre).

The Public's 50th Anniversary Celebration will feature events uptown and downtown, including two productions of Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte, six cutting edge productions in the downtown season, interactive exhibitions and provocative discussions in celebration of the theater's rich history.

Founded by Joseph Papp as the Shakespeare Workshop and now one of the nation's preeminent cultural institutions, The Public is an American theater in which all the country's voices, rhythms, and cultures converge. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Mara Manus, The Public's mandate to create a theater for all New Yorkers continues to this day on stage and through its extensive outreach and education programs. Over 250,000 people annually attend Public Theater-related events at its six downtown stages including Joe's Pub, and at Shakespeare in the Park.

Time Warner is the Lead Sponsor of The Public Theater's 50th Anniversary season.

Additional leadership support for the 50th Anniversary season is provided by the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, Target, JPMorgan Chase, Altria Group, Inc., Bloomberg, ConEdison, News Corporation/New York Post, Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Starr Foundation, Time Warner Cable, Viacom Outdoor, The New York Times, and New York Public Radio-WNYC.

Additional generous support is provided by Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman, The Shubert Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The George Delacorte Fund at The New York Community Trust - Fund for Performances at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, The Susan Stein Shiva Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Warren Spector and Margaret Whitton. Public support is provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency. We are also deeply grateful to The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation for its leadership commitment to The Public Theater's Endowment Fund in support of new work. Continental Airlines is the official airline of The Public Theater.