Richard Thomas to Star in Twelve Angry Men National Tour

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is launching a national touring production of their Broadway smash hit TWELVE ANGRY MEN, starring Richard Thomas, written by Reginald Rose and directed by Scott Ellis. This is the first touring production for the not-for-profit organization.

TWELVE ANGRY MEN will premiere in New Haven, Connecticut at the Shubert Theatre beginning September 19th, 2006, and then continue on to markets nationwide during its 30 week national tour.

Roundabout Theatre Company's Broadway production of the searing courtroom drama, TWELVE ANGRY MEN, was the longest running production at their home, the American Airlines Theatre, running for 32 weeks. This production marked the first time the show was ever seen on a Broadway stage. Its record-breaking run earned three Tony Award nominations and unanimous praise from the critics. "The undeniable hit of the Broadway dramatic season!" raved Jesse McKinley (New York Times). John Simon (New York Magazine) proclaimed it "A classic in the making!" and Michael Kuchwara (Associated Press) described it as, "Exhilarating! An absorbing theatrical experience."

In TWELVE ANGRY MEN, a young delinquent awaits sentencing for the manslaughter of his aggressive father. Twelve jurors are corralled in a room for their deliberations in a murder trial. One juror feels that there is a "reasonable doubt" - to the frustration of his eleven colleagues - thereby preventing a quick verdict. During the heated debate, the hidden preconceptions and assumptions of the jurors are revealed. When faced with playing the hangman, each juror is forced to face himself.

"Twelve Angry Men," originally written as a teleplay that appeared in 1954 on CBS' drama series "Studio One," was one of the brightest jewels of television's Golden Age. The story was subsequently made into a major motion picture in 1957. Reginald Rose, who would go on to create and write scripts for the television series, "The Defenders," wrote a stage version in 1964. In 1997, Showtime, in response to questions about "reasonable doubt" raised during the OJ Simpson trial, produced a new movie version with a racially diverse cast.

The National Tour of TWELVE ANGRY MEN stars Richard Thomas (Juror #8). Since his Broadway debut in Sunrise At Campobello in 1958, Mr. Thomas has appeared on the New York stage countless times, most recently in Roundabout Theatre Company's Broadway production of Richard Greenberg's A Naked Girl On The Appian Way, and last season in Michael Frayn's Democracy and As You Like It in Central Park. Mr. Thomas has starred in over forty films for television including Terrence McNally's "Andre's Mother" and the upcoming "Wild Hearts" for Hallmark. His television series have included "It's A Miracle," "Just Cause" and "The Waltons," for which he won an Emmy Award in 1972.

TWELVE ANGRY MEN is directed by Scott Ellis, the Associate Artistic Director of Roundabout Theatre Company. For Roundabout, he is directing the upcoming production this spring of Entertaining Mr. Sloane with Alec Baldwin. Past Roundabout Broadway productions include Twelve Angry Men (Drama Desk, Tony nom.), The Look of Love, Rodgers & Hart's The Boys From Syracuse, Arthur Miller's The Man Who Had All The Luck (Roundabout & Williamstown), The Rainmaker with Woody Harrelson and Jayne Atkinson, 1776 (Drama Desk, Tony nom.), Company (Tony nom.), She Loves Me (Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk, Tony nom), Picnic (Outer Critics nom.) and A Month In The Country with Helen Mirren. Additional Broadway directing credits include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Steel Pier (Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Tony nom.). Currently, Scott is represented off-Broadway by the critically acclaimed production of The Little Dog Laughed by Douglas Carter Beane.

The design team for TWELVE ANGRY MEN includes: Allen Moyer (sets), Michael Krass (costumes), Paul Palazzo (lights) and Brian Ronan (sound).

TWELVE ANGRY MEN is produced by Roundabout Theatre Company, one of the country's leading not-for-profit theatres. The company contributes invaluably to New York's cultural life by staging the highest quality revivals of classic plays and musicals, as well as new plays by established writers. Roundabout consistently partners great artists with great works to bring a fresh and exciting interpretation that makes each production relevant and important to today's audiences. Under the continuing leadership of Artistic Director Todd Haimes, Roundabout is dedicated to the community of artists and loyal audience members that have made it one of New York's most popular not-for-profit cultural institutions.

The 2005-2006 season marks the Roundabout Theatre Company's 40th anniversary and proudly presents such notable works and artists as Jill Clayburgh and Richard Thomas in Richard Greenberg's A Naked Girl on the Appian Way, Harry Connick, Jr. starring in The Pajama Game, Gabriel Byrne starring in Eugene O'Neill's A Touch of the Poet, Alan Cumming, Jim Dale, Ana Gasteyer, Cyndi Lauper and Nellie McKay starring in The Threepenny Opera, Michael C. Hall starring in Mr. Marmalade, Alec Baldwin starring in Entertaining Mr. Sloane and Katie Finneran and Denis O'Hare starring in Pig Farm.

Award winning and critically acclaimed Roundabout productions include Kander & Ebb's Cabaret, Stephen Sondheim's Assassins and Company, Nine starring Antonio Banderas, Jane Krakowski, Mary Stuart Masterson and Chita Rivera, Little Me starring Martin Short, Side Man starring Edie Falco, A View From the Bridge starring Anthony LaPaglia, and Anna Christie starring Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson.

Roundabout Theatre Company productions are made possible, in part, with public funds from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; New York State Council on the Arts; National Endowment for the Arts; and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. American Airlines is the official airline of Roundabout Theatre Company.

www.roundabouttheatre.org