Austin Pendleton to Star in BROADWAY BOUND at Beck Center for the Arts

Beck Center for the Arts has announced Broadway Bound, featuring Austin Pendleton in its first production of the 2021-2022 Professional Theater Season. Mr. Pendleton returns from New York City after having performed in a Beck Center prior production, Glengarry Glen Ross.

This production will be performed in the newly named Senney Theater. In recognition of Wally and Joyce Senney for their extraordinarily generous gift of over $1 million for the Creating Our Future capital campaign, Beck Center's Board of Directors recently voted to change the name of its larger theater to The Senney Theater. The Senney family's history with the organization goes back to 1915 when they constructed the Lucier Movie Theater and Maheu block which became the home of Lakewood Little Theater in 1938, later becoming Beck Center for the Arts.

Produced by Scott Spence, now in his 31st season with Beck Center, and directed by William Roudebush, this comedy by hilarious playwright Neil Simon is sure to ease patrons back into the comfort of live theater. Mr. Roudebush says of returning to the theater in Lakewood, Ohio, "I was born in 1949, the same year Broadway Bound takes place. I became a Thespian at Rocky River High School in 1964, the same year Neil Simon's most famous play, The Odd Couple, opened on Broadway. My father and I were devotee's of The Phil Silvers' Show as well as Your Show Of Shows starring Sid Caesar, Imogine Coca, and Carl Reiner. Over the years I have directed at least 15 productions penned by the greatest comic genius of our time, Neil Simon. So, after a solid eighteen months of quarantine and isolation from what I love the most, this production of Broadway Bound is the perfect coming out party for me. His comic rhythms were born into my soul and I can't wait for them to play out in front of a play-starved audience. It's the perfect 'welcome back' for all of us!"

Broadway Bound, called "expectedly funny and unexpectedly moving" by New York Daily News, is the final play in Neil Simon's semi-autobiographical trilogy (Brighton Beach Memoirs and Biloxi Blues). Broadway Bound continues Eugene and Stanley's brotherly journey as they discover and flex their comedic writing chops while continuing to endure family dysfunction. There is no need to see the previous plays in order to enjoy this production, as each play stands fully on its own.

In anticipation of welcoming theater patrons back to the Senney Theater Beck Center made a number of investments in the HVAC and air filtration to provide a safe environment for patrons as they return to the theater. Beck Center will communicate any mask policies with patrons prior to the production.

Individual and group tickets are available at beckcenter.org with single ticket prices from $34 (adults), $30 (for seniors 65 and older) and $12 for students with valid ID. A $3 service fee per single ticket will be applied at time of purchase. Running September 10 to October 3, 2021, curtain times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays. Preview performances are 7:30 p.m. the Thursday before opening night, September 9. An additional performance will take place on Thursday, September 30, 2021. $10 Smart Seats® are available for each performance. For more information on the entire 2021-22 Professional Theater Season please visit beckcenter.org.

This production is generously sponsored by David and Inez Myers Foundation, a supporting foundation of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, and the John P. Murphy Foundation.

Title is subject to change due to pandemic protocols and Actor's Equity Association's rules and restrictions. Play is produced by special arrangement with Samuel French.

All performances are at the Senney Theater inside Beck Center for the Arts located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available. For more information visit beckcenter.org.

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