Orson's Shadow Reaches 200th Performance off-Bway, Sept. 4

The critically acclaimed play Orson's Shadow, currently enjoying an open-ended run at the Barrow Street Theatre, will play its 200th performance on Sunday, September 4th at 3:00 PM/>.  Written by Austin Pendleton (Booth, Uncle Bob) and directed by David Cromer, Orson's Shadow is the recipient of the 2005 Drama League Distinguished Performance Award.  Orson's Shadow opened on March 13th.

As described in a press article, "Orson's Shadow is set in 1960, as notorious film director Orson Welles senses his foothold in the screen industry slipping. Coaxed into a new endeavor by theater critic and friend Kenneth Tynan, the directorial giant finds himself at the helm of a West End production of Ionesco's Rhinoceros starring Laurence Olivier and his paramour Joan Plowright. Olivier's eccentric wife Vivien Leigh adds to the volatile mix as legendary egos collide on stage and off. A fictional rendering of actual events, Orson's Shadow imagines the circumstances behind the staging of this absurdist masterpiece and reveals the human frailty of these titan personalities." Time Out New York wrote of the play, "An engrossing view of the twilight of theater gods. A first-rate cast."

Presented by Planetearth Partners, Inc. and Scott Morfee, this production marks the New York premiere of Orson's Shadow, which debuted at the Steppenwolf Theatre.

A popular talkback series called Afterwords follows every Wednesday night performance and is free to those with tickets to the show.  In Afterwords, noted film scholars and historians as well as actors, playwrights, screenwriters and directors take the stage to share their insights on Welles and the film and theatre circles in which he moved.  On September 7th, Lynn Redgrave (The Constant Wife, films such as Kinsey and Georgy Girl) will be the featured guest; she will be joined by playwright Pendleton, who is himself a noted actor (The Diary of Anne Frank, The Last Sweet Days of Isaac) and director.

Orson's Shadow plays at the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow at Seventh Avenue South) as follows: Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 PM, Saturday at 3:00 & 8:00 PM and Sunday at 3:00 & 7:30 PM. The popular "AfterWords" talk-back series follows Wednesday evening performances each week.