The Los Angeles premiere of Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Schenkkan's By the Waters of Babylon brings two award-winning, long-time theater actors to the Geffen stage for the first time: Demián Bichir and Shannon Cochran. Bichir, who is currently starring as Mary-Louise Parker's love interest on Showtime's Weeds, will play the role of Arturo, a Cuban immigrant who is hired to (coincidentally) weed the garden of unconventional Austin widow Catherine. Cochran, who will star as Catherine, is straight from Chicago where she starred in sold out performances of The Lion in Winter at the Writers Theatre.
While both actors will be making their Geffen Playhouse debut with this production, Bichir - who comes from one of the most well-known theatrical families in Mexico, will be making his US stage debut. On screen Bichir is already becoming familiar to American audiences; in addition to his role on Weeds, Bichir recently portrayed Fidel Castro in
Steven Soderbergh's Che Guevara biopics The Argentine and Guerilla. In his home country, Bichir's film Sexo, Pudor y Lágrimas held the box office record for number one movie in Mexico for three years straight, and he has been awarded numerous honors ranging from the prestigious Ariel Award for Best Actor to a medal presented by the cultural commission in Mexico City for distinction in the arts.
Playing opposite Bichir, Cochran brings her own vast stage experience to the production. The actress, who has won accolades for her work on some of America's most prominent stages including Steppenwolf, The Goodman and
South Coast Repertory, starred off-Broadway in Bug, for which she was the recipient of the 2004 Theatre World Award, an Obie Award and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award.
"With this play, I'm doing something very different - a two-character contemporary love story. This kind of piece can be very challenging but in Demián and Shannon we have found two extraordinary talents who will bring out all of the complexity and passion with which these characters struggle," said playwright Robert Schenkkan. "It's a great pleasure to bring this play to Los Angeles. Audiences here are so enthusiastic, sophisticated, and knowledgeable. With Babylon, I think they're in for a very special experience."
By the Waters of Babylon, directed by Old Vic and A.C.T. alum Richard Seyd, opens on the main stage of the Geffen Playhouse on Wednesday, November 5, 2008.
For more information please visit www.geffenplayhouse.com
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