Hartford Stage Presents 'DIVIDING THE ESTATE' Opening 5/28

Hartford Stage, under the leadership of Michael Wilson, artistic director, and Michael Stotts, managing director, announced today that the Broadway hit comedy Dividing The Estate, by Horton Foote, directed by Wilson, will transfer to Hartford Stage in May 2009 to close the Tony Award-winning theatre's 45th season. The gospel musical drama Gee's Bend, which was to have been the sixth and final MainStage offering this year, has been postponed until next season.

Dividing The Estate, a human comedy about a family that must confront its past as it prepares for its future, opened to critical acclaim Off-Broadway in the fall of 2007 at Primary Stages. It began its limited engagement Broadway run in October 2008 at the Booth Theatre, produced by Lincoln Center Theatre in association with Primary Stages. Almost the entire company of the Broadway production are returning, including Drama Desk winner Hallie Foote, Obie Award winner Arthur French, Tony Award nominee Penny Fuller, and Gerald McRaney. Other returning cast members include Devon Abner, Pat Bowie, James DeMarse, Virginia Kull, Maggie Lacey, Nicole Lowrance, Jenny Dare Paulin, and Keiana Richard.

Hartford Stage Artistic Director Michael Wilson states, "I am honored to welcome Horton Foote back to Hartford Stage, a theatre he has called home for the last decade. And I am thrilled that Connecticut audiences will be able to see this distinguished company in this very timely, funny, and deeply moving play. Many thanks to Lincoln Center Theater and Primary Stages for allowing us to transfer the production from Broadway to Hartford. Hartford Stage is an artistic home for Horton and several of the company members of Dividing The Estate, and this ongoing collaboration adds additional meaning to the layers of family dynamics that Horton explores with such artistry in his play" Hartford Stage Managing Director Michael Stotts states, "All of us at Hartford Stage are thrilled to bring Michael's highly lauded production of Horton's play to Connecticut. I am especially proud of the significant praise Michael has received for his direction of Dividing The Estate and am pleased that our loyal audience members and donors will have the opportunity to see this extraordinary sample of our artistic director's work. Dividing The Estate was cited as one of the best plays of 2008 by Ben Brantley of the New York Times, and by Terry Teachout of the Wall Street Journal. How could we not bring this production to Hartford?"

Playwright Horton Foote has been honored with the Pulitzer Prize, two Academy Awards, an Emmy Award, the National Medal of the Arts from President Clinton, and Outer Critics Circle and Obie Awards for Dividing The Estate.. He returns to Hartford Stage where his plays The Carpetbagger's Children, The Trip to Bountiful, and The Death of Papa have been seen under Michael Wilson's direction. His many other plays include The Day Emily Married, Talking Pictures, and his nine play Orphans' Home Cycle,. He received the Pulitzer Prize for The Young Man From Atlanta and Academy Awards for his screenplays for Tender Mercies and To Kill A Mockingbird.

Hartford Stage is producing its stage adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird, based on the classic Harper Lee book, in February 2009. In celebration of Dividing The Estate and To Kill a Mockingbird, Hartford Stage, in conjunction with the Hartford Public Library, will host a lively conversation between Horton Foote and Michael Wilson on Monday, January 12, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.at Hartford Stage. To Kill a Mockingbird has been selected by the Hartford Public Library as the featured book in their 2009 "Big Read" program. At the event, Mr. Foote will discuss his memories of working on the film of To Kill a Mockingbird and will also speak about his collaboration with Harper Lee. The evening is free and open to the public. Seating is limited and available on a first come, first served basis.

Dividing The Estate will feature scenic design by Jeff Cowie, costumes by David C. Woolard, lighting by Rui Rita, and original music and sound by John Gromada, the play's design team for the Broadway and Off-Broadway runs. All four designers have made Hartford Stage their artistic home over the last decade.

Dividing The Estate runs at Hartford Stage May 28 - July 5, 2009. Evening performances are weeknights (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday) at 7:30 p.m. and weekends (Friday and Saturday) at 8:00 p.m. Matinee performances are Sundays and selected Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. There is no performance on Sunday, June 7. For a more specific schedule of performances, call the Hartford Stage box office at 860-527-5151 or visit hartfordstage.org.
Tickets for the Hartford Stage run of Dividing The Estate are available now by calling the box office at 860-527-5151 or by visiting hartfordstage.org. Previously purchased tickets for Gee's Bend will be honored for the same date, time, and seating location for Dividing The Estate. Questions regarding the change may be directed to the box office. Hartford Stage is located at 50 Church Street in downtown Hartford with parking located in the MAT Garage, directly adjacent to the theatre. The theatre is easily accessible from I-84 and I-91.

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