Photo Coverage: TO BE OR NOT TO BE Opening Night Party

The Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director;Barry Grove, Executive Producer) world premiere production of Nick Whitby's 'To Be or Not To Be' officially opened on Broadway on Tuesday October 14th. BroadwayWorld's cameras were there to capture the cast as they arrived at Planet Hollywood to celebrate after the curtain came down!

The play, based on the 1942 motion picture of the same name is directed by three-time Tony Award nominee Casey Nicholaw('The Drowsy Chaperone,' 'Monty Python's Spamalot').

The production features Peter Benson ('The Pajama Game'),Robert Dorfman ('The Drowsy Chaperone'), Steve Kazee('Monty Python's Spamalot'), Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Jan Maxwell ('Coram Boy,' 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'), Peter Maloney ('Almost An Evening,' 'Dinner At Eight'), Michael McCarty ('Mary Poppins'), two-time Obie Award winner Kristine Nielsen ('Les Liaisons Dangereuses,' MTC's 'Our Leading Lady'), Brandon Perler (Broadway debut), David Rasche ('Burn After Reading,' MTC's 'Regret's Only') Rocco Sisto('Iphigenia 2.0'), Jimmy Smagula ('Damn Yankees' at Encores!), and Marina Squerciati (MTC's 'Beauty of the Father').

'To Be or Not To Be' is the first production of Manhattan Theatre Club's 2008-2009 season. The limited engagement is playing at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street).

At the Polski Theatre in 1939 Warsaw, Josef (David Rasche) and Maria Tura (Jan Maxwell) are about to open yet another smash with their theatrical troupe. As the German invasion gets underway, the theatre is closed by the censors, forcing the troupe to face desperate times. But when a handsome young bomber pilot enlists their help to catch a spy, what is a group of actors to do? This hilarious black comedy is an ingenious commentary on the World War II era and an inspired tribute to the timeless joys of the theatre.

The creative team for 'To Be or Not To Be' includes: Anna Louizos (scenic design),Gregg Barnes (costume design), Howell Binkley (lighting design), Darron L West (sound design), Wendall and Zak (projection design), Josh Marquette (hair design), and David Caparelliotis (casting).

Tickets range in price from $56.50-$96.50. Student rush tickets are available the day of the performance at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre box office for $26.50.  Additionally, you can subscribe to MTC by calling (212) 399-3030, Monday - Thursday, noon - 6 PM and Friday, 10 AM - 2 PM, with a major credit card. Subscriptions are available online atwww.ManhattanTheatreClub.com.

'To Be or Not To Be' showtimes are as follows, Tuesday at 7 PM, Wednesday through Saturday at 8 PM, and Sunday at 7 PM, with matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2 PM.

Photos by Amy Shaughnessy

David Rasche

David Rasche

Steve Kazee, Jan Maxwell and David Rasche

Jan Maxwell

Peter Benson

Robert Dorfman

Marina Squerciati

Marina Squerciati and Peter Maloney

Peter Maloney

Michael McCarty

Kristine Nielsen

Brandon Perler

Marina Squerciati and Jan Maxwell

The cast of To Be or Not To Be

The cast of To Be or Not To Be