Photo Flash: First Look at Berkshire Theatre Group's ANNA CHRISTIE

Berkshire Theatre Group presents Eugene O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize-Winning play Anna Christie at the Fitzpatrick Main Stage. Opening Night is tomorrow, August 24 at 8pm. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Eugene O'Neill's masterpiece tells the story of Anna Christie, a young woman abandoned by her father and forced into a life of hardship. When the two are finally reunited, Anna must learn to forgive her father's past transgressions. However, after Anna falls in love with a sailor, certain secrets come to light, and the love of father and daughter is truly tested. Anna Christie is a beautiful and poignant tale of love and forgiveness.

The cast includes: Rebecca Brooksher as Anna Christopherson, Alison Fraser as Marthy Owen, Jonathan Hogan as Chris Christopherson, Derek Wilson as Mat Burke, and Walton Wilson as Larry.

David Auburn (Director) has directed Tennessee Williams' Period of Adjustment,Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance, and Zayd Dohrn's Sick at BTG. Plays include:The Columnist (MTC/Broadway), The New York Idea (adaptation; Atlantic Theater), and Proof (Pulitzer Prize, Tony Award, New York Drama Critics Circle Award). Films include: The Girl in the Park (writer/director) and The Lake House.

Rebecca Brooksher (Anna Christopherson) is a proud New Orleans native. She made her Off-Broadway debut in Lincoln Center's production of Dying City for which she was nominated for a Lucille Lortel award as Best Actress. Also, in New York she starred in White People at the Atlantic Theatre and The Scariest, at the Bleeker Street Theatre. Regional Credits include: Viola in 12th Night at the McCarter, Juliet in Romeo and Juliet at N.J. Shakespeare, The Eugene O'Neill Playwright's Conference, the Guthrie Theater, Actors Theater of Louisville, NJ Shakespeare Festival, Barrington Stage, The Falcon Theater (LA), Chautauqua Theater Festival, and The Chester Theater Center. Favorite roles include Masha in Three Sisters,Kate in Taming of the Shrew, Emma in Pterodactyls, and Thomasina in Arcadia. FILM: Cold Souls (accepted into Sundance 2009). TV: Love Monkey (CBS), One Life to Live (ABC), and recurring on FBC's Canterbury's Law. Training: 2005 Juilliard graduate (Group 34).

Alison Fraser (Marthy Owen) Alison Fraser is a two-time Tony Award nominee for playing Martha in The Secret Garden and Josefine in Romance/Romance. She received the first ever Barrymore Award for her portrayal of The Blonde in The Wilma Theatre's production of Gunmetal Blues. Other Broadway roles include: Tessie Tura in Arthur Laurents's Gypsy starring Patti LuPone, Dorine in Tartuffe;Born Again, and Helena in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Recently, Ms. Fraser created the roles of The Matron (opposite Shirley Knight) in the world premiere of Tennessee Williams's last play In Masks Outrageous and Austere, Arsinoë in the world premiere of David Ives's The School for Lies directed by Walter Bobbie at Classic Stage Company, and Sister Walburga in the world premiere of Charles Busch's Off-Broadway hit The Divine Sister. She was a member of the rotating company of Love, Loss and What I Wore. She co-starred with Shirley Knight in the world premiere of Mr. Laurents' Come Back, Come Back, Wherever You Are at the George St. Playhouse, where she has also appeared in Lend Me A Tenor, Lips Together Teeth Apart, and Gunmetal Blues. Off-Broadway roles Alison has created include: Jessie in Terrence McNally's Dedication, or the Stuff of Dreams (opposite Nathan Lane and Marion Seldes), Marion Ames in Swingtime Canteen, Trina in William Finn's March of the Falsettos and In Trousers, Miss Drumgoole in Up Against It, Uta in The Green Heart, and Connie, Brenda, and Petula in Beehive. She can be heard on innumerable voiceovers, cds, video games and audio books. Her screen credits include: Smash, Law & Order: SVU, The Thing About My Folks, Jack and His Friends, In the Blood, Commentary, Jack In A Box (web series regular), ItCould Be Worse (web series regular), Family Games, and Blowtorch. Miss Fraser has performed her one-woman show, A Tennessee Williams Songbook, at many venues in the past year, and will soon be releasing the CD.

Jonathan Hogan (Chris Christopherson) Jonathan Hogan had the pleasure of appearing at the BTG in Mornings at Seven, and A Delicate Balance. On Broadway he was in Comedians, Otherwise Engaged, Fifth of July, The Caine Mutiny Court Martial, As Is (Tony and Drama Desk nominations for Best Actor), Burn This, Taking Steps, and The Homecoming. A few of the plays he appeared in as a member, for 25 years, of the celebrated, award-winning Circle Rep include: The Hot l Baltimore,The Mound Builders, and Balm in Gilead (in collaboration with Steppenwolf). Most recent performances Off-Broadway include: A Picture of Autumn, Heroes, The Conscientious Objector, The Madras House, In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer, and Lanford Wilson's Book of Days. Regionally, he has acted at The McCarter Theatre, George Street Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Hartford Stage, and The Berkshire Theatre Festival. Films include: In Country, The House On Carroll Street, A Fish In The Bathtub, andRevolution #9. On television he has been seen on As The World Turns, One Life To Live, several Movies of the Week, L.A. Law, Quantum Leap, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Law & Order: Trial by Jury. Mr. Hogan is a graduate of The Goodman Theatre and School of Drama.

Derek Wilson (Mat Burke) Theatre: Prince Hal in Henry IV Part I, No Man's Land,Comedy of Errors, Blood and Roses, Cymbeline, The Rivals, Julius Caesar(Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey); The Tempest, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare Theatre Company, DC). Film/TV: Rectify (for AMC/Sundance Channel), Person of Interest, The Good Wife, Wet Behind the Ears.MFA from Tisch Graduate Acting at NYU.

Walton Wilson (Larry) is delighted to make his BTG debut in Anna Christie. New York stage credits include: productions at Brooklyn Academy Of Music, Culture Project, La Mama, PS 122, Public Theatre/NYSF, and Vineyard Theatre. Other regional credits include Actors Theatre of Louisville, Alley Theatre, American Repertory Theatre, Dallas Theatre Center, The Empty Space, Stages Repertory Theatre, Shakespeare Festivals of Dallas, Houston, Santa Fe, and St. Louis, Swine Palace, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and Yale Repertory Theatre. He is a long-time member of Shakespeare & Company and is a member of the Acting faculty at the Yale School of Drama. He is married to the artist Barbara Sims and lives in Lenox Dale.

Tickets to Anna Christie are $38-$58, all preview tickets are $38. Tickets may be purchased in person at the Colonial Ticket Office at 111 South Street, Pittsfield; at the Fitzpatrick Main Stage Ticket Office at 83 East Main Street, Stockbridge; by calling (413) 997-4444 or online at www.BerkshireTheatreGroup.org. All plays, schedules, casting and prices are subject to change.

Photo Credit: Abby LePage

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