David Mamet's SPEED-THE-PLOW to Open Next Month in Brookfield

David Mamet's "Speed-the-Plow" opens on Nov. 4 at The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts.

Revived on Broadway in 2008, the original production starred Joe Mantegna, Ron Silver and Madonna in this hilarious satire of Hollywood, a culture as corrupt as the society it claims to reflect. Charlie Fox has a terrific vehicle for a currently hot client. Bringing the script to his friend Bobby Gould, the newly appointed Head of Production at a major studio, both see the work as their ticket to the Big Time. The star wants to do it; as they prepare their pitch to the studio boss, Bobby wagers Charlie that he can seduce the temp/secretary, Karen. As a ruse, he gives her a novel by "some Eastern sissy" writer that needs a courtesy read before being dismissed out of hand. Karen slyly determines the novel, not the movie-star script, should be the company's next film. She sleeps with Bobby who is so smitten with Karen and her ideals that he pleads with Charlie to drop the star project and and pitch the "Eastern sissy" writer's book.

David Mamet is the author of the plays: "Race", "Keep Your Pantheon, School", "November", "Romance", "Boston Marriage", "Faustus", "Oleanna", "Glengarry Glen Ross" (1984 Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Critics Circle Award), "American Buffalo", "The Old Neighborhood", "A Life in the Theatre", "Speed-the-Plow", "Edmond", "Lakeboat", "The Water Engine", "The Woods", "Sexual Perversity in Chicago", "Reunion and The Cryptogram" (1995 Obie Award). His translations and adaptations include: "Faustus and Red River" by Pierre Laville; and "The Cherry Orchard", "Three Sisters" and "Uncle Vanya" by Anton Chekov. His films include: "The Postman Always Rings Twice", "The Verdict", "The Untouchables", "House of Games" (writer/director), "Oleanna" (writer/director), "Homicide" (writer/director), "The Spanish Prisoner" (writer/ director), "Heist" (writer/director), "Spartan" (writer/director) and "Redbelt" (writer/director). Mr. Mamet is also the author of: "Warm and Cold", a book for children with drawings by Donald Sultan, and two other children's books, "Passover" and "The Duck and the Goat"; "Writing in Restaurants", "Some Freaks", and "Make-Believe Town", three volumes of essays; "The Hero Pony" and "The China Man", a book of poems; "Three Children's Plays", "On Directing Film", "The Cabin", and the novels "The Village", "The Old Religion" and "Wilson". His most recent books include the acting books "True & False" and "Three Uses of the Knife", and "Theatre", his philosophy of the American theatre. "Glengarry Glen Ross" was awarded the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play in 2005.

Director John Schwanke brings over 40 years experience in educational and professional theatre. He holds a bachelor's degree in Acting from Moorehead State University and a master's in Theatre Arts from Illinois State University. John has acted in and directed more than 60 productions over his stage career. He also spent several years in Hollywood working on the major motion picture "The Inheritor" with Geoffrey Lewis and Suzanne Benton. While in Hollywood, he developed an extremely successful career in theatre production management as the assistant art director and lighting designer for Disney on Parade, and the original "Peter Pan" with Cathy Rigby. From there John joined Theatre Techniques in New York City, the company that he was to eventually own. John's company built over 500 theatrical productions including "Cats", "A Chorus Line", "42nd Street", "Chicago", "Me and My Girl", "On the 20th Century", "Sunset Boulevard", "M Butterfly", "Sweeney Todd" and "Into the Woods" to name a few. His company also built the stages for major musical acts such as Kiss, The Rolling Stones, Boston, Hall and Oates, Jethro Tull, and Parliament Funkadelic among others. He has written two works for the silver screen, a treatment for a major motion picture entilted "Crime Pays, Evil Don't" and a tv series script "Billy and The Kid". John eventually sold the company which is still highly successful as a leading provider of entertainment and event technology solutions under the name Production Resource Group (PRG).

ABOUT THE CAST:

Peter Lerman is Bobby Gould, the newly appointed Head of Production at a major studio, under pressure to deliver a hit.

Peter Lerman (Bob Gould) is originally from Brooklyn, NY (Midwood High School class of 1970), currently residing in Bethel. Day jobs are Respiratory Therapist and audiobook narrator (working on my sixth book right now). He has appeared in more than a few community Theater Productions as a gangster, ghoul, half-millionaire, producer, assistant producer, Yale graduate, and gambler. In this production he will play, in turn, a prince, a fool, and a corpse. Please remain seated for the entire performance and we're really serious about the turning-off-the-cellphone thing. Thank you for supporting The Brookfield Theater for the Arts. Visit Peter online at www.Lerman.net.

Aaron Kaplan is Charlie Fox, Bobby's longtime colleague offers a pitch that will enable the studio chief to land a superstar who always works for a rival studio - and make lots of money for both men.

Aaron Kaplan (Charlie Fox) appeared last month as "The Man" in TBTA's production of The Other Place. He has performed locally in Monroe, New Milford, Newtown, Ridgefield, ­Sherman, Westport, and Wilton. Favorite roles include Dennis in Mauritius, Picasso in ­Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Bobby in American Buffalo, Ricky Roma in Glengarry Glen Ross, Kerner in Hapgood, Antipholus of Syracuse in The Comedy of Errors, and 17 different characters in the role of Man in A Perfect Ganesh. He is excited to be a part of this extremely talented cast. To any agents in the audience: he is currently unrepresented?

Dianna Waller is Karen, an attractive temp secretary who becomes the subject of a bet between the two men. Turns out she has her own angle to rise up the Hollywood ladder, and manipulates both Hollywood vets.

Dianna Waller (Karen) is delighted to be back on the Brookfield Stage after last being seen as Ruth Condomine in "Blithe Spirit". Some other past roles, include: Alice Beineke "The Addams Family", Doatsy Mae "Best Little Whorehouse", Lucy "You're AGood Man Charlie Brown" ,Susan "Company" at the Vagabond in Baltimore, Ann Deever "All My Sons", Judy "9-5: The Musical", Georgie Bukatinsky "The Full Monty", Meg Brockie "Brigadoon", The Authority Figure "Hairspray", Mindy "Five Women Wearing The Same Dress", Emily Gorski "Greetings", Various Characters "Beehive" at Cohoes Music Hall, and Various Characters "Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits".

Dianna would like to thank John and Lou for the opportunity, her real life leading man, Jim, for being simply amazing, her incredible parents for putting theatre in her life, and Christopher Gladysz- always. Last, but never least, Rebecca Pokorski for sharing her home, and talents! I could never have done this without you!

Performances are Fri. & Sat. nights at 8pm from Nov. 4 through Nov. 19, with a Sunday matinee on Nov. 13 at 2pm. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students. A free preview for senior citizens will be held on Thursday, November 3 at 8 p.m. For more information and tickets, visit www.BrookfieldTheatre.org or call 203-775-0023.

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