Geva's 42nd Season to Continue with GOOD PEOPLE, Begin. 10/21

Geva Theatre Center presents Good People - the Broadway comedy-drama about culture, class and luck by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire, directed by Mark Cuddy. Good People begins performances October 21, opens October 25 and runs in the Elaine P. Wilson Mainstage through November 16.

In South Boston, this month's paychecks cover last month's bills, bingo is a night on the town, and sharp-tongued single-mom Margie Walsh has been let go from yet another job. Scrambling to make ends meet, she risks what little she has left to look up an old flame, hoping he'll help her make a fresh start. Nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play, a humor-filled drama from Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire about how twists of fate can determine our path.

David Lindsay-Abaire is a playwright, screenwriter, lyricist, and librettist whose play Rabbit Hole premiered on Broadway and went on to receive the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Spirit of America Award, and five Tony nominations. He was also nominated for a Grammy Award (Best Musical Show Album) and two Tony Awards (Best Book of a Musical and Best Score) for his work on Shrek The Musical. Prior to that, Mr. Lindsay-Abaire was awarded the 2008 Ed Kleban Award as America's most promising musical theatre lyricist. His other plays include Fuddy Meers, Kimberly Akimbo, Wonder of the World, and A Devil Inside, among others. In addition to his work in theatre, his screen credits include his screen adaptation of Rabbit Hole (starring Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckart, and Dianne Wiest, and directed by John Cameron Mitchell), as well as the upcoming features Guardians of Childhood (Dreamworks), and Oz: The Great and Powerful (Disney, directed by Sam Raimi). Mr. Lindsay-Abaire is a proud New Dramatists alum, a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and the Juilliard School, as well as a member of the WGA and the Dramatists Guild Council.

The world premiere of Good People was staged by Manhattan Theatre Club in February 2011. Directed by Daniel J. Sullivan and starring Frances McDormand and Tate Donovan, the production was nominated for two Tony Awards including Best New Play. McDormand won the Tony for her portrayal of Margie. In 2012 a production at the Geffen Playhouse in LA starred Jane Kaczmarek as Margie. Earlier this year, a production from the Hampstead Theatre in London, directed by Jonathan Kent and starring Imelda Staunton, transferred into the West End where it played to great acclaim.

Making their Geva Theatre Center debuts in Good People are Constance Macy of Indiana Repertory Theatre as Margie; Nick Abeel as Stevie; Nicole Lewis (Broadway productions of Hair, Rent and Lennon) as Kate; and Dee Pelletier (Broadway productions of August: Osage County, TV's "Law & Order," "Third Watch," and "All My Children") as Margie's friend, Jean. Peggy Cosgrave (Broadway productions of Born Yesterday, Shadowbox and The Garden District and Geva productions of You Can't Take It With You and Pride and Prejudice) returns to Rochester as Margie's landlady, Dottie, and Sean Patrick Reilly (Broadway's Superior Donuts and The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Geva productions of Doubt and American Buffalo, and TV's "Blue Bloods," "Damages," and "The Black Donnellys,") as Mike.

Good People is directed by Geva Artistic Director Mark Cuddy and the design team includes Jo Winiarski (scenic design), Devon Painter (costume design), Ann G. Wrightson (lighting design) and Lindsay Jones (sound design).

The 2014-2015 Wilson Mainstage Season is sponsored by ESL Federal Credit Union. Good People is produced with support from Buckingham Properties, Harter Secrest & Emery LLP; Associate Producer Tasteful Connections Catering; and media sponsors WXXI and WYSL.

Geva dedicates this production of Good People to the memory of two great people, Larry and Jane Glazer, longtime supporters of the theatre and the Rochester community. They will be greatly missed.

Good People begins performances October 21 and runs in the Mainstage through November 16.

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