'WISHFUL DRINKING' To 'Toast' on Bdwy at Studio 54 for Fall 2009

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director), in association with Jonathan Reinis, Jamie Cesa, Eva Price & Berkeley Repertory Theatre, is proud to present the Broadway premiere production of Wishful Drinking, created and performed by Carrie Fisher and directed by Tony Taccone at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 West 54th St).

Wishful Drinking will begin previews on Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 and open officially on Sunday, October 4th, 2009 at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 West 54th St). This is a limited engagement through January 3rd, 2010.

Alexander V. Nichols will provide scenic, lighting and projection design.

In Wishful Drinking, Carrie Fisher recounts the true and intoxicating tale of her life as a Hollywood legend, told with the same wry wit she poured into bestsellers like Postcards from The Edge. The daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher became a cultural icon when she starred as "Princess Leia" in the first Star Wars trilogy at 19 years old. Forever changed, Carrie's life did not stay picture perfect. Fisher is the life of the party in this uproarious and sobering look at her Hollywood hangover.

Wishful Drinking premiered in November 2006 at the Geffen Playhouse and enjoyed an extended engagement there through January 2007. Following that premiere, the show has completed successful runs at a number of not-for-profit theatre organizations around the country including Berkeley Repertory Theatre (February 2008), Arena Stage (September 2008), Huntington Theatre Company (October 2008) and Seattle Repertory Theatre (April 2009). Roundabout Theatre Company is pleased to welcome Carrie Fisher to Studio 54 in the fall.

Tickets are available exclusively to Roundabout Subscribers by calling Roundabout Ticket Services at (212) 719-1300 and online at www.roundabouttheatre.org.

Wishful Drinking will play Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00PM with a Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday matinee at 2:00PM. Tickets will go on sale to the general public in July. Prices range from $31.50-$111.50.

Carrie Fisher (Creator, Performer). Carrie Fisher has been a compelling force in the film industry since her feature film debut opposite Warren Beatty in the 1975 hit Shampoo. The daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, she became a cultural icon when she played Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy. Her star-studded career includes roles in countless films such as The Blues Brothers, The Burbs, Charlie's Angels, Garbo Talks, Hannah and her Sisters, The Man with One Red Shoe, This is My Life, and When Harry Met Sally, In 1987, Fisher's book, Postcards from The Edge, leapt onto the New York Times' bestseller list and netted her the Los Angeles Pen Award for Best First Novel. Four more bestsellers have followed: Delusions of Grandma, Surrender the Pink, The Best Awful and Wishful Drinking. Fisher turned Postcards into a screenplay for the hit film starring Shirley MacLaine and Meryl Streep, and is currently adapting The Best Awful for Lifetime & Sony television with producers Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks. Her writing has also appeared in Details, Harper's Bazaar, the New York Times, Travel & Leisure, Vogue, and many other major publications. Her television credits range all the way from Laverne and Shirley to Sex in the City, with a recent Emmy nomination for her appearance on the popular NBC program 30 Rock. Her experiences with addiction and bipolar disorder-and her willingness to speak honestly and candid about them-have made her a sought-after speaker and respected advocate for these communities.

Tony Taccone (Director) is completing his 12th year as artistic director of Berkeley Repertory Theatre, where he has staged more than 35 shows - including world premieres by Culture Clash, Rinde Eckert, David Edgar, Danny Hoch, Geoff Hoyle, Quincy Long, and Itamar Moses. Taccone made his Broadway debut with another solo show, Bridge & Tunnel, which was universally lauded by the critics and won a Tony Award for its star, Sarah Jones. He commissioned Tony Kushner's legendary Angels in America, co-directed its world premiere at the Mark Taper Forum, and has collaborated with Kushner on seven projects. Their production of Brundibar featured designs by beloved children's author Maurice Sendak; it debuted at Berkeley Rep and then traveled to Yale Repertory Theatre in New Haven and the New Victory Theatre in New York, where it sold out its run and was nominated for two Drama Desk Awards. In 2004, his premiere of Continental Divide transferred to the Barbican in London after playing the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Berkeley Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, and England's Birmingham Rep. Taccone frequently works in Ashland, where he has also directed Coriolanus, Othello, Pentecost, and the American premiere of Seamus Heaney's The Cure at Troy. His other regional credits include Actors Theatre of Louisville, Arena Stage, Arizona Rep, Center Theatre Group, Hartford Stage, the Huntington Theatre, The Public Theatre, San Jose Rep, and Seattle Rep, as well as San Francisco's Eureka Theatre where he served six years as artistic director before coming to Berkeley. Taccone has served on the faculty at UC Berkeley and the board of Theatre Communications Group, and acted as a regional representative for the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.

ALEXANDER V. NICHOLS (Scenic, Lighting & Projection Designer). Scenic, video, and lighting designs have been set on theater companies including Oregon Shakespeare Festival, American Conservatory Theater, Berkeley Rep, Mark Taper Forum, Huntington Theatre, Arena Stage, Alley Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Seattle Rep and the National Theater of Taiwan. Off Broadway credits include "Bridge and Tunnel" by Sarah Jones, "Los Big Names" by Marga Gomez, "Horizon" by Rinde Eckert and "Taking Over" by Danny Hoch. Designs for dance and music have been set on companies including San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Hong Kong Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Singapore Dance Theatre, ODC/SF, Kronos Quartet, Bill Frisell and the Paul Dresher Ensemble. Mr. Nichols is resident visual designer for the Margaret Jenkins Dance Company and served as resident lighting designer for the Pennsylvania Ballet, Hartford Ballet, and American Repertory Ballet, as well as lighting supervsor for American Ballet Theatre. Other credits in the dance world include designs for choreographers Christopher d'Amboise, Val Caniparoli, Ann Carlson, Sonya Delwaide, Marguerite Donlon, Dominique Dumais, Jean Grand-Maitre, Joe Goode, Bill T. Jones, Graham Lustig, Mark Morris, Matjash Mrozewski, David Nixon, Kevin O'Day, Kirk Peterson, Stephen Petronio, Dwight Rhoden, and Michael Smuin. Mr. Nichols' recent projects include video direction for "Life-A Journey Through Time" in collaboration with Philip Glass and Frans Lanting, the structural and lighting design for the touring art installation "Circle of Memory" in collaboration with Eleanor Coppola and the visual design for "Other Suns", a collaboration between Margaret Jenkins and the Guangdong Modern Dance Co.

Jonathan Reinis. Broadway Productions: Harvey Keitel in Jerry Springer: The Opera at Carnegie Hall (2008), How The Grinch Stole Christmas: The Musical (2006-07), Kiki and Herb: Alive On Broadway (Tony Nomination 2006), Dame Edna: The Royal Tour (Tony award, 2000), Russell Simmons's Def Poetry Jam (Tony Award, 2003), Bill Maher: Victory Begins at Home (Tony nomination, 2003) and It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues (Tony nomination, 1999); Off-Broadway: Room Service, Marga Gomez's Los Big Names, Josh Kornbluth's Love & Taxes, Shay Duffin as Brendan Behan. San Francisco / Bay Area and touring productions include: Carrie Fisher at Berkeley Rep (2008); Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues; Josh Kornbluth's Ben Franklin: Unplugged.; Sam Shepard's The Late Henry Moss (with Sean Penn, Woody Harrelson, Nick Nolte and Cheech Marin); Dame Edna: The Royal Tour; Ennio;N Sandra Bernhardt; Steve Martin's Picasso at the Lapin Agile (National Tour); John Leguizamo's premiere of Freak; Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde; and Forever Tango (national tour). Mr. Reinis built and operated Theatre on the Square in downtown San Francisco for more than twenty years (1981-2002). Other San Francisco productions include: Quality of Life by Jane Anderson with Laurie Metcalfe, JoBeth Williams and Dennis Boutsikaris; Jeffrey; Irving Berlin in Revue; The Piano Lesson (national tour); The Kathy and Mo Show; Shirley Valentine; Love Letters; Mass Appeal; and Phantom of the Opera by Ken Hill (National Tour). He also presented Mikhail Baryshnikov's White Oak Dance Project in Northern California, the premier production of Smuin Ballets/SF Dances with Songs, the Kirov Ballet's original Nutcracker, Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez, Stomp, Riverdance-The Show, Guys and Dolls (national tour), Fame: The Musical, and Dirty Blonde (national tour). Mr. Reinis is a member of the Broadway League and ATPAM. None of this would have been possible without the support and help of Hillary Reinis.

Jamie Cesa. Broadway: produced Kiki & Herb: Alive on Broadway (2007 Tony Award® nomination "Best Special Theatrical Event"). Off-Broadway: produced and managed Los Big Names (2006 Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominee) and currently produces Naked Boys Singing! (Top 10 Longest Running Show in Off-Broadway History). Other Off-Broadway producing credits include: The Women of Lockerbie; 21 Dog Years: Doing Time @ Amazon.com; Love, Janis; and the Outer Critics Circle and Drama League "Best Musical" nominee, The Last Session. Other Off-Broadway general management credits include: CELIA: The Life & Music of Celia Cruz, The Last Word, Transatlantic Liaison, SIDD, Criss Angel Mindfreak, Matt & Ben and Respect: A Musical Journey of Women (Orlando, FL).

Eva Price is Executive Producer for Maximum Entertainment, a producing, developing, and general management company. Credits include, Broadway: Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas, The Addams Family(09-10). Off Broadway and National Tour: Irving Berlin's I Love a Piano, The Great American Trailer Park Musical , The J.A.P Show: Jewish American Princesses of Comedy, Los Big Names (Drama Desk Nomination), Private Jokes Public Places, Joy, Tomie dePaola's Strega Nona The Musical.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Born in a storefront, Berkeley Rep has moved to the forefront of American theatre-and is still telling unforgettable stories. In four decades, four million people have enjoyed more than 300 shows at Berkeley Rep, including 50 world premieres. In the last four years alone, Berkeley Rep has helped send four shows to Broadway: Bridge & Tunnel, In the Next Room (or the vibrator play), Passing Strange, and Wishful Drinking. Founded in 1968, the Theatre quickly earned respect for presenting the finest plays with top-flight actors. In 1980, with the support of the local community, Berkeley Rep built the 400-seat Thrust Stage where its reputation steadily grew over the next two decades. It gained renown for an adventurous combination of work, presenting important new dramatic voices alongside refreshing adaptations of seldom-seen classics. In recognition of its place on the national stage, Berkeley Rep was honored with the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre in 1997. The company celebrated by unveiling a 600-seat proscenium stage in 2001, the state-of-the-art Roda Theatre. It also opened the Berkeley Rep School of Theatre, a permanent home for its long tradition of outreach and education programs. The addition of these two buildings transformed a single stage into a vital and versatile performing arts complex, the linchpin of a bustling Downtown Arts District which has helped revitalize Berkeley. The Theatre now welcomes an annual audience of 180,000, serves 20,000 students, and hosts dozens of community groups, thanks to 1,000 volunteers and more than 400 artists, artisans, and administrators.

Roundabout Theatre Company is 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.

Roundabout Theatre Company currently produces at three permanent homes each of which is designed specifically to enhance the needs of the Roundabout's mission. Off-Broadway, the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre, which houses the Laura Pels Theatre and Black Box Theatre, with its simple sophisticated design is perfectly suited to showcasing new plays. The grandeur of its Broadway home on 42nd Street, American Airlines Theatre, sets the ideal stage for the classics. Roundabout's Studio 54 provides an exciting and intimate Broadway venue for its musical and special event productions. Together these three distinctive venues serve to enhance the work on each of its stages.

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.

Roundabout Theatre Company's 2008-2009 season includes Lisa Loomer's Distracted featuring Cynthia Nixon, directed by Mark Brokaw; Christopher Hampton's The Philanthropist, starring Matthew Broderick, directed by David Grindley; Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, starring (in order of speaking) Nathan Lane, Bill Irwin, John Goodman, John Glover, directed by Anthony Page. Roundabout's sold out production of The 39 Steps made its second Broadway transfer to the Helen Hayes Theatre on January 21, 2009.

Roundabout Theatre Company's 2009-2010 season includes Patrick Marber's After Miss Julie, starring Sienna Miller, directed by Mark Brokaw; Michael Stewart, Lee Adams and Charles Strouse's Bye Bye Birdie, starring John Stamos, Gina Gershon & Bill Irwin, directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom; Mark Saltzman, Irving Berlin & Scott Joplin's The Tin Pan Alley Rag, directed by Stafford Arima; and Noël Coward's Present Laughter starring Victor Garber, directed by Nicholas Martin.

For more info visit, www.roundabouttheatre.org.