The producers of Tennessee Williams' The Two-Character Play starring Tony Award winner Amanda Plummer (Agnes of God, Pulp Fiction,Hunger Games: Catching Fire) and Academy Award nominee Brad Dourif (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Deadwood), now playing through September 29th at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street), welcome Rob Sedgwick and Elize (Lisi) Russell to the company. The pair will perform the roles usually played by Mr. Dourif and Ms. Plummer at the Monday, September 9 and Wednesday, September 11 (matinee & evening) performances, while Mr. Dourif is out of town attending a funeral of a close relative who recently passed away.
"We were very saddened by Brad's news and allowing him a short time away from the production to attend the funeral was the right thing to do," says producer
Robert Driemeyer. "The show must go on and we're thrilled to have Rob and Lisi bring their brilliance to the stage and play Felice and Clare during Brad's short absence. Not only are they ideally matched to the roles and one another; they are first-rate pros with theatre in their blood. Rob has an accomplished list of credits in all entertainment mediums (like his sister
Kyra Sedgwick). Lisi an accomplished actress in her own right who happens to be the widow of the great filmmaker
Ken Russell. We couldn't be more excited to have them on our team and we encourage people to experience their "take" on Williams' brilliant play. Mr. Dourif and Ms. Plummer will resume performances on September 12."
Reality and fantasy are interwoven with terrifying power as two actors on tour-brother and sister-find themselves deserted by their troupe. Faced by an audience expecting a performance, they enact
The Two-Character Play. Haunting, provocative, and funny, it is one of
Tennessee Williams' most personal works.
Directed by
Gene David Kirk, the creative team for
The Two-Character Play is comprised of Alice Walkling (scenic design & London costume design), Lara DeBruijn (NY costume design), Phillip Hewitt (sound design & London lighting design), Jake Fine (NY lighting design) and
Rick Sordelet (fight choreography).
The performance schedule for
The Two-Character Play is as follows: Monday at 8pm; Wednesday at 2 & 8pm, Thursday & Friday at 8pm; Saturday at 2:30 & 8pm; Sunday at 3pm.
Tickets are $72.50 - $126.50 and are available for purchase via Telecharge.com or by calling 212-239-6200, as well as in person at the New World Stages box office (340 West 50th Street). Box office hours are Monday 12pm-8pm, Tuesday 1pm-7pm, Wednesday 10am-8pm, Thursday & Friday 1pm-8pm, Saturday & Sunday, 10am-8pm. $35 General Rush Tickets are available at the Box Office on the day of the performance during the first 2 hours of the Box Office opening-limit 2 per person, cash only and subject to availability. $25 Student Rush Tickets are available at the Box Office on the day of the performance when the Box Office has been opened, limit 2 per valid ID-cash only and subject to availability.
The Two-Character Play is produced by
Robert Driemeyer, Morgan Sills, Jim A. Landé,
Al Parinello and the Somerled Charitable Foundation, in association with
Robert Barry Fleming, Julio Montalvo,
Ted Seifman/
Jamie deRoy, and Jan Warner, with General Management by Brierpatch Productions (
Laura Janik Cronin &
Scott Newsome), Casting by Wojcik/Seay casting (Scott Wojcik & Gayle Seay) and Marketing by
Red Rising Marketing and Sponsorships and Promotions by
Ron Johnson, Jr.
The Two-Character Play debuted in 1967 in London, and was produced on Broadway in 1973 by
David Merrick, under the title Out Cry, starring
Michael York. Considered too experimental for its time, Williams continued working on the play and published his final version in The Theatre of
Tennessee Williams Volume 5. After years of withholding rights, Williams' estate granted permission for
Gene David Kirk to present the play at London's Jermyn Street Theatre where he served as Artistic Director. Mr. Kirk was introduced to the play by his mentor
Corin Redgrave, whose sister Vanessa had long desired it as a personal vehicle. Opening in October 2010, the play earned the critical success that had eluded it years earlier, and found its enthusiastic and appreciative audience in the 21st century. The production was heralded as "revelatory," and the play was lauded as a "lost classic." Mr. Kirk dedicates this production of
The Two-Character Play to the memory of Mr. Redgrave.
Elize (Lisi) Russell (Clare) began her career in New York in
Tennessee Williams' This Property is Condemned, directed by
Daniel Irvine of Circle Rep and in
Lanford Wilson'sHome Free. She has also appeared in New York in her own plays Narcissa and Lightbody, as well as in premiere works by Jon Jesurun and SJ Smith. She has been in 9 films (UK) by
Ken Russell including "Boudica Bites Back" and "Composer on a Bicycle: Elgar." In 2010, she appeared at Lincoln Center with
Mr. Russell,
Vanessa Redgrave and
Tommy Tune in "Russellmania!" on PBS and in pop videos for David Massengill on BBC-TV, BAFTA and
Loudon Wainwright.
Rob Sedgwick (Felice) - Film: Die Hard 3, Tune In Tomorrow, Tales From the Darkside, Staying Together, Loverboy Television: "Damages," "30 Rock," "Perfect Murder Perfect Town," "Law and Order" (3 Guest Star appearances), "Law and Order S.V.U," "Law and Order C. I.," "Ed" "Deadline," "Another World," "One Life to Live." Theater:Major Barbara (
Bill Walker, Charlie Lomax), The Devil's Disciple (Swindon), Irish Repertory Company - Death of a Salesman, (Biff)
Paper Mill Playhouse - The Cherry Orchard(Yasha), Guild Hall Theater - Enemies, (Grekov),
Williamstown Theater Festival -Tusitala, (Lloyd), Berkshire Theater Festival - The Glass Menagerie (Gentleman Caller), Asolo Theater - LeMudeVick's Boy, (Vick), Rattlestick Playwrights Theater -Bliss (Chick).
