Tony-Winning Play ALL THE WAY Opens This Friday at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre

Political intrigue takes center stage at Actors' Playhouse in the Tony Award-winning drama All The Way by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan.

This riveting behind-the-scenes look at President Lyndon B. Johnson's (LBJ) tumultuous first year in office in the wake of President Kennedy's assassination has earned accolades from audiences and critics alike, from its start at Oregon Shakespeare Festival to its powerful Broadway run and most recent HBO Films adaptation starring four-time Emmy winner Bryan Cranston.

Artistic Director David Arisco directs this limited engagement production that will run March 22 - April 9, 2017 at the Miracle Theatre.

All the Way follows LBJ during his early administration, as he stakes his presidency on what would be a historic, unprecedented Civil Rights Act. Johnson finds himself caught between the moral imperative of DR. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the expectations of the southern Democratic Party leaders who brought Johnson to power. As King battles to press Johnson while controlling more radical elements of the Civil Rights movement, Johnson navigates the bill through Congress, winning a landslide victory against Barry Goldwater, but causing the South to defect from the Democratic Party.

American film, stage and television actor J. Kenneth Campbell plays the lead role of LBJ. Carbonell Award-winning actor Marckenson Charles makes his Actors' Playhouse debut as Martin Luther King, Jr.

Campbell and Charles are two of the 17 actors that will bring to life more than 60 historical figures, including Don Seward as Ralph Abernathy, Deborah L. Sherman as Lady Bird Johnson, Antoni Corone as J. Edgar Hoover, Tom Wahl as Hubert Humphrey, Gary Marachek as George Wallace, Peter Haig as Richard Russell, Chaz Mena as Robert McNamara, Reggie Whitehead as Roy Wilkins, Candice Singleton as Coretta Scott King, Chase Gutzmore as Bob Moses, Jovon Jacobs as Stokely Carmichael, Michael Turner as Walter Jenkins, Christina Groom as Muriel Humphrey, Jerry Weinberg as Everett Dirksen and Michael Small as Stanley Levison.

The design and creative team for All The Way includes Scenic Design by Jodi Dellaventura, Lighting Design by Eric Nelson, Sound Design by Shaun Mitchell and Costume Design by Ellis Tillman.

The show will open on Friday, March 24 at 8 p.m. and play through April 9, 2017. Evening performances will be held Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m., with afternoon matinees on Sunday at 3 p.m. A special weekday matinee is scheduled on Wednesday, March 29 at 2 p.m.

Director David Arisco will lead a group discussion with special guest Dr. Marvin Dunn before the performance on Friday, March 31, 2017 at 7 p.m. as part of the company's "Second Fridays" series. Dr. Dunn, a native Floridian, is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychology at Florida International University. He co-authored "The Miami Riot of 1980: Crossing the Bounds" with Bruce Porter and "Black Miami in the Twentieth Century" (1997), "The Beast in Florida: A History of Anti-Black Violence" (2012) and "A History of Florida: Through Black Eyes" (2016). He has directed three documentary films: "Black Seminoles in the Bahamas: The Red Bays Story," "Murder on the Suwannee River: The Willie James Howard Story" and "Uncovering Rosewood." Dr. Dunn is a respected scholar in race and ethnic relations, and has appeared on numerous national television broadcasts and has been published in major newspapers throughout the country.

Tickets for weeknights and matinees are $57, and on Friday and Saturday evenings $64. The theatre offers 10 percent off all weekday performances for seniors and $15 student rush tickets to any performance 15 minutes prior to curtain with identification. Discounts are based on availability.

Group discounted rates are offered for 15 or more through our group sales department. Single tickets may be purchased through the box office at 305-444-9293 or online at www.actorsplayhouse.org.

Actors' Playhouse is the nonprofit resident theatre company and managing agent of the historic Miracle Theatre on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. Actors' Playhouse, which has brought home 87 regional Carbonell Awards for artistic excellence, is a Florida Presenting Cultural Organization and one of 13 major cultural institutions in Miami-Dade County. In addition to its Mainstage season, Actors' Playhouse offers a year-round season of Musical Theatre for Young Audiences, a Theatre Conservatory and Summer Camp Program, as well as educational arts outreach programs for underserved youth, and has initiated a Young Talent Big Dreams contest for children in partnership with The Children's Trust.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Robert Schenkkan (Playwright) Robert Schenkkan received a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin and an M.F.A. from Cornell University. He has worked as an actor/writer on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in film, television, and at regional theatres across the country. Portions of The Kentucky Cycle were developed at the Mark Taper Forum's '88 and '89 New Works Festivals, New Dramatists, the Ensemble Studio Theatre (New York and Los Angeles), the Long Wharf Theatre, and Robert Redford's Sundance Institute. The complete Cycle was awarded the largest grant ever given by The Fund for New American Plays and premiered in 1991 at the Intiman Theatre in Seattle. Robert's play Heaven on Earth won the 1989 Julie Harris/Beverly Hills Theatre Guild Award, participated in the 1989 Eugene O'Neill Playwrights' Conference, and premiered Off-Broadway at the WPA Theatre. It is published by Dramatists Play Service. Final Passages premiered at the Studio Arena Theatre under the direction of A.J. Antoon and was published both in TCG's Plays in Process and by Dramatists Play Service. Tachinoki premiered at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in Los Angeles and was designated a Critic's Choice by the "L.A. Weekly." He is also the author of numerous one-acts. Prominent among them is The Survivalist, which premiered at ATL's Humana Festival, went on to the EST Marathon in New York, Canada's DuMaurier Festival and won the Best of the Fringe Award at the Edinburgh Festival. Robert has written a film for Disney ("Tall Tales") and a play (Magic) for the NBC series "Plays for Television." He is a recipient of grants from the California Arts Council, New York State, the Vogelstein, and the Arthur foundations. Robert is a New Dramatists alumnus and a member of both the Ensemble Studio Theatre and the Antaeus Project. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Mary Anne, and their daughter, Sarah.

David Arisco (Director) has been a part of Actors' Playhouse for 29 years, 22 of them here at the Miracle Theatre. His diverse career spans over forty years as director, actor, musical director, stage manager, symphonic conductor and instrumentalist. Stage acting credits include starring roles in our critically acclaimed productions of Hairspray, Fiddler on the Roof, A Thousand Clowns, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, Same Time, Next Year, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Plaza Suite and The Odd Couple. Film and television credits include "Offbeat", "Tollbooth", "Miami Vice", "America's Most Wanted" and "Key West". Mr. Arisco has directed over 150 shows here at Actors' Playhouse, including the Carbonell awarded productions of In The Heights (2013), Les Misérables (2009), AIDA (2005), Floyd Collins (2003), Violet (2001), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2000), I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (1998), West Side Story (1997) and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1991), all of which won for Best Production of a Musical. Mr. Arisco is the recipient of the George Abbott Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts, and was awarded the Richard G. Fallon Award for Excellence in Professional Theatre from the Florida Professional Theatre Association.

J. Kenneth Campbell (President Lyndon Baines Johnson) J. Kenneth Campbell, last seen at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre in the critically acclaimed production of Other Desert Cities, is excited to return as LBJ in All the Way. On stage, Mr. Campbell has appeared in seven Broadway productions and every major regional theatre in North America. His many films include "The Abyss," "Ulee's Gold," "Guess Who," "Mars Attacks!" and "The Only Good Indian." On television, Campbell's first role was on "Mod Squad." His daytime series roles include "General Hospital," "Search for Tomorrow," "Guiding Light," "Another World" and "All My Children." Among the four score mini-series and episodic serials, Mr. Campbell is best known for playing Ed Wingate on "Matlock."

MARCKENSON CHARLES (Martin Luther King, Jr.) Marckenson Charles is elated to be making his Actors' Playhouse debut. Mr. Charles is a proud Carbonell Award recipient for his work in Superior Donuts at GableStage. He was also a recipient of the Silver Palm Award for his outstanding performances in A Behanding in Spokane (also at GableStage) and Caldwell Theatre Company's world premiere of Michael McKeever's Stuff. His most recent television show appearance was on the FOX hit series "Gotham."

Tom Wahl (Hubert Humphrey/Strom Thurmond) has worked at The Kennedy Center, Geva Theatre Center, Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, Flat Rock Playhouse and Blowing Rock Stage Company. In Florida at Actors' Playhouse in Scott and Hem, Shear Madness, The Mystery of Irma Vep, A Hotel on Marvin Gardens, Murderer, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Dangerous Obsession, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Toyer. Tom is a recipient of Carbonell, Silver Palm and Curtain Up Awards and a proud union member of Actors' Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA.

Gary Marachek (George Wallace/James Corman/Mike Mansfield/Walter Reuther) Twelve-time award winning actor including four Carbonell wins. Has appeared in over 300 Equity productions, mostly leading roles. Is a published author. Has commercials currently running. Singer for Cirque du Soleil's "Cirque Dreams." Has been a full-time actor/singer/entertainer/Master-of-Ceremonies his whole life on stage, screen, television, concerts, performing in over thirty countries and in nearly every state. Theatres performed: Goodspeed, Ford's Theatre, Coconut Grove, The Asolo, Pittsburgh CLO, Theatre Under The Stars, Walnut Street Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, Riverside Theatre, Florida Studio Theatre, North Carolina State Theatre, Arkansas Rep, Westchester Broadway Theatre, dozens more. Example roles performed: Felix Ungar, King Arthur, John Adams, Thenardier, Dr. Watson, Sancho, Doolittle, Fagin, Zaza, Mr. Applegate. GaryMarachek.com

DEBORAH L. SHERMAN (Lady Bird Johnson/Katharine Graham/Katharine St. George) has lived and worked as an actor, writer, producer, director, designer, teacher, technician and voice over artist in South Florida for almost 20 years. She originated the role of Conchita in the world premiere of Nilo Cruz's Anna in the Tropics, winner of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Deborah is a multiple Carbonell Award winner as well as the recipient of several New Times and Miami Sun Post "Best Of" Awards. Next up, a World Premiere of a new play with the outrageously amazing Mad Cat Theatre Company in June.

Michael Turner (Walter Jenkins/William Colmer) was last featured in Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre's productions of The Full Monty and Floyd Collins (Carbonell Award Nominee). Favorite roles elsewhere include: "Moody" in Golden Boy, "Valere" in La Bete, "Berenger" in Rhinoceros and the original production of Come From Away at La Jolla Playhouse (currently on Broadway). He's a founding member of Ubuntu Theatre Project (San Francisco), where he will appear in the one-man show Confirmation. TV Credits include: "Betrayed," "My Crazy Ex" and over 20 commercials. His voice is heard in Borderlands 2 as "Zero" and anime series such as "Black Butler" and "Full Metal Alchemist." Education: MFA- acting, UCSD. www.MichaelDTurner.com

Reggie Whitehead (Roy Wilkins/Aaron Henry) has performed in several productions at Actors' Playhouse, and two garnered him Carbonell Awards: Smokey Joe's Café and The Full Monty (Best Supporting Actor [Musical] for both productions). Reggie is also the recipient of a Carbonell Award for Best Choreography (Zombie Prom). Other AP credits include Ragtime, Big River, Jesus Christ Super Star and West Side Story. Other credits in national and international productions include Ain't Misbehavin and Porgy and Bess. Other regional productions: Pippin (BRTG), The Full Monty and Ain't Misbehavin (The Wick). Off-Broadway credits include The Man Who Came to Dinner.

Chaz Mena (Robert McNamara/James Eastland/William Moore McCulloch/Paul B. Johnson, Jr.) New York credits include The PRTT, The Flea, Spanish Repertory, New Georges Theatre, INTAR, American Place Theatre, and Young Playwrights. Regional: Laguna Playhouse, Baltimore's Centerstage, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cleveland Playhouse, Eugene O' Neill Theatre Center, Arena Stage in D.C., San Diego Repertory Theater, Arizona Jewish Theatre, Theater Virginia, Actors' Playhouse and ZoeticStage. Carbonell Award-winning nominated for ACE, ALMA & Pennsylvania. Critics Awards for his theatrical and TV work. He is a Freedoms' Foundation Award winner (2014) for his PBS teleplay, Yo Solo... and was recently awarded a "Revolutionary in Residence" fellowship at Colonial Williamstown this year. Chaz plays "Vicente Cruz," a recurring character in Netflix's hit series Bloodline.

Don Seward (Ralph Abernathy) Don is thrilled to be returning to Actors' Playhouse following last season's productions of Sondheim on Sondheim and Ragtime which earned him his first Carbonell Nomination for his portrayal of Coalhouse Walker Jr. Past credits include Sister Act, the National Tours of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Ragtime, Dreamgirls, 5 Guys Named Moe and The Wiz.

CANDICE MARIE SINGLETON (Coretta Scott King/Fannie Lou Hamer) is delighted to be making her debut at Actors' Playhouse. Recent/Favorite credits include "April White" in Savage in Limbo, "Cunningham" in The Last Days of Judas of Iscariot, "Solange" in The Maids and "Inez Smith" in Our Lady of 121st Street. She graduated from Florida State University where she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology.

CHRISTINA GROOM (Secretary/Lurleen Wallace/Muriel Humphrey) Christina Groom is making her first appearance here at Actors' Playhouse. A native South Floridian, she was most recently seen in Perfect Arrangement at Island City Stage. Other recent theatrical appearances include Shorts Gone Wild, City Shorts, An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein, Gypsy, The Book of Liz, Cabaret, Have I Got a Girl for You, and Gidion's Knot. She has also appeared on Nickelodeon's "Every Witch Way" and Netflix's "Bloodline."

CHASE GUTZMORE (Bob Moses/David Dennis) was born and raised in Broward County, Florida. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in criminal justice at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. He has been acting for just over nine years in various different films and stage productions. Some of his previous theatrical credits include Clybourne Park, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, and Zooman and the Sign. He is absolutely thrilled to be making his debut at Actors' Playhouse in such a magnificent production that highlights a very important time in history of this great nation.

Jovon Jacobs (James Harrison/Stokely Carmichael) holds a B.F.A in Acting and is a proud participant in the South Florida Theatre Community. He was recently seen in Motherland at Theatre Lab. Some of his recent credits include: The Mystery of Love & Sex (Arts Garage), Fences and Five Guys Named Moe (M Ensemble Theatre), Them Beaux (Miami Theater Center), The Violet Hour (Broward Center), Map of Virtue (Thinking Cap Theater, Broadwayworld.com Award), Hip Hop Won't Save You (The Project [theatre]), S4K & Summer Shorts (City Theatre), A Man Puts On A Play (Naked Stage) and Home Sweet Funeral Home (The ALLIANCE THEATRE).

ANTONI CORONE (J. Edgar Hoover/Robert Byrd) Antoni Corone is a film actor that recently started acting for theatre. This is his second play. Film credits include substantial turns in: "I Love You Phillip Morris," "Bad Boys II," "We Own The Night," "Reservation Road," "Sunlight Jr.," and "Out of Time." A regular on SundanceTV's "The Red Road," HBO's "Oz" and "All My Children" aside from bit parts in many others, Mr. Corone is also the founder of The Work Room, a not for profit workshop.

Peter Haig (Richard Russell/ Emanuel Celler) is happy with the Equity pension he earned by working with many fine South Florida theatre groups (and some lousy ones) since 1978. In the 60's he trained and worked in NYC with George C. Scott, Joseph Papp and other theatrical notables. During the 70's he performed and directed in North Carolina, founding the African-American Theatre Group, Willis Richardson Players in Wilmington. He has won the usual awards and was proud to be Carbonell-nominated for his performances in She Loves Me and as an ensemble member in Making God Laugh, both here at Actors' Playhouse. And you may have seen him here as Starkeeper/Dr. Seldon/Creepy Cotton Candy Seller in Carousel last month.

MICHAEL H. SMALL (Stanley Levison/John McCormack/Seymore Trammell/Edwin King) is delighted to be a part of this production. In a career spanning over 40 years, Michael has performed in films, television and radio, as well as clubs and theatres throughout the country. Visit him at www.michaelhsmall.com.

JERRY WEINBERG (Cartha DeLoach/Howard Smith/Everett Dirksen/Carl Sanders) is pleased to be making his Actors' Playhouse debut in this wonderful play with this amazing cast. He has performed throughout Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Favorite roles are in South Pacific (Emile DeBeque), Oliver (Bill Sykes), A View From the Bridge (Alfieri), All My Sons (Joe Keller), Sweeney Todd (Judge Turpin), Company (Larry), Assassins (Proprietor), Grey Gardens (Major Beauvier) and Over The River (Nunzio).

Pictured: Deborah L. Sherman (Lady Bird Johnson), J. Kenneth Campell (President Lyndon B. Johnson), Tom Wahl (Hubert Humphrey) and Christina Groom (Muriel Humphrey) in All The Way at Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre. Photo by Brooke Noble.

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