Pendleton, Welch, Etc. Join Public's Romeo and Juliet

The Public Theater has announced that casting is complete for Romeo and Juliet, the first production of this summer's Shakespeare in the Park, directed by Michael Grief. Not since 1968 has Shakespeare's great and beloved tragedy graced the Delacorte stage.  Previews will begin on Tuesday, June 5th with performances continuing for five weeks through July 8th.  The press opening will be Sunday, June 24th.

Joining previously announced cast members Lauren Ambrose (Awake and Sing!, "Six Feet Under") as Juliet and Oscar Isaac (Beauty of the Father, Two Gentlemen of Verona) as Romeo, and Camryn Manheim ("The Practice," Obie Award for Missing Persons) as Nurse are Austin Pendleton (The Diary of Anne Frank, The Little Foxes) as Friar Lawrence, Christopher Evan Welch (Festen, The Crucible) as Mercutio, Timothy D. Stickney (Henry V) as Prince Escalus, Michael Christofer (The Shadow Box, Hamlet) as Lord Capulet, Opal Alladin (On Golden Pond) as Lady Capulet, George Bartenieff (Unlikely Heroes, Cop-Out) as Lord Montague, Apothecary and Cousin Capulet, and Saidah Arrika Ekulona (Well) as Lady Montague, with Ari Brand (Ensemble), Anthony Carrigan (Ensemble), Dan Colman (Paris), Tiffany Danielle (Ensemble), Seth Duerr (Ensemble), Quincy Dunn-Baker (Ensemble),  Christian Felix (Ensemble), Brian Tyree Henry (Tybalt), Susan Hyon (Ensemble), Orville Mendoza (Ensemble), Owiso Odera (Benvolio), Jeff Omura (Ensemble), Lucas Papaelias (Ensemble), Mary Rasmussen (Ensemble), Michael Rossmy (Ensemble), Cornelius Smith, Jr. (Ensemble), and Alexander Sovronsky (Ensemble).

Greif recently directed Diana Son's Satellites and the launch performance of Suzan-Lori Parks's 365 Days / 365 Plays for The Public. Other recent work includes John Guare's Landscape of the Body (Signature Theater), Scott Frankel, Michael Korie and Doug Wright's Grey Gardens, currently on Broadway, Nilo Cruz's Beauty of the Father (MTC) and Mr. Marmalade (Roundabout). His Broadway credits include Jonathan Larson's Rent (Obie Award, Tony nom.) and Never Gonna Dance. At the New York Shakespeare Festival, he's directed Suzan-Lori Parks' F*cking A, Jessica Hagedorn's Dogeaters (Obie Award), Jose Rivera's Marisol, Pericles, Connie Congdon's Casanova, Tony Kushner's A Bright Room Called Day and Sophie Treadwell's Machinal (Obie Award). He is an Artistic Associate at New York Theatre Workshop, where his credits include Cavedweller, Bright Lights, Big City, and Rent.  

Performances of Shakespeare in the Park will be Tuesday Through Sunday at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are FREE and will be available on the day of the performance (two per person) at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park beginning at 1:00 p.m. and at The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street (near Astor Place), from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The closest entrances to the Delacorte are at 81st Street and Central Park West or 70th Street and Fifth Avenue.

For additional information about Shakespeare in the Park, call (212) 539-8750 or visit The Public Theater website at www.publictheater.org.

Photo of Austin Pendleton by Linda Lenzi