CSC Announces Complete Casting For Patinkin's 'Tempest'

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, has completed casting of its upcoming production of William Shakespeare's THE TEMPEST, starring Tony Award winner Mandy Patinkin, directed by Kulick.  The production will open its 2008-09 season with performances beginning Wednesday, September 3 at CSC (136 East 13th Street).   The official press opening is Thursday, September 18.  Single tickets are now on sale. THE TEMPEST will play a limited engagement through Sunday, October 12 only.  Scenic design is by Jian Jung, with costumes by Oana Botez-Ban, and lighting by Brian H Scott.

Joining Patinkin are Craig Baldwin (Sebastian), Yusef Bulos (Gonzalo), Angel Desai (Ariel), Karl Kenzler (Antonio), Nana Mensah (Female Sprite), Nyambi Nyambi (Caliban), Bhavesh Patel (Boatswain/Adrian/Male Sprite), Michael Potts (Alonso), Steve Rattazzi (Stefano), Stark Sands (Ferdinand), Tony Torn (Trinculo), and Elizabeth Waterston (Miranda).

Mandy Patinkin (Prospero) In his 1980 Broadway debut, Patinkin won a Tony Award for his role as Che in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita and was nominated in 1984 for his starring role in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, Sunday in the Park with George.  In 1991 he returned to Broadway in the Tony Award-winning musical The Secret Garden and in 1997 played a sold-out engagement of his one-man concert, Mandy Patinkin in Concert, with all profits benefiting five charitable organizations. Patinkin's other solo concerts, Celebrating Sondheim and Mamaloshen have been presented both on Broadway and Off.  Other stage credits include The Wild Party, Falsettos, The Winter's Tale, The Knife, Leave It to Beaver is Dead, Rebel Women, Hamlet, Trelawney of the 'Wells,' The Shadow Box, The Split, Savages, and Henry IV, Part I.  Feature film credits include: The Choking Man, Pinero, Elmo In Grouchland, Men with Guns, The Princess Bride, Yentl, The Music of Chance, Daniel, Ragtime, Impromptu, The Doctor, Alien Nation, Dick Tracy, The House on Carroll Street, True Colors, Maxie, and Squanto: Indian Warrior. He won a 1995 Emmy Award for his critically acclaimed performance in the CBS series "Chicago Hope", recently starred in the CBS series "Criminal Minds" as FBI profiler Jason Gideon and the Showtime Original Series "Dead Like Me".  

His other television appearances include the role of Kenneth Duberstein in the Showtime film "Strange Justice," playing Quasimodo opposite Richard Harris in the TNT film presentation of "The Hunchback," and a film version of Arthur Miller's "Broken Glass" for BBC/WGBH-Boston.  In 1989, Mandy began his concert career at Joseph Papp's Public Theater.  This coincided with the release of his first solo album entitled Mandy Patinkin.  Since then he has toured extensively, appearing to sold-out audiences across the United States, Canada and in London, performing songs from writers including Stephen Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Irving Berlin, Randy Newman, Adam Guettel and Harry Chapin, among others.  In 1990 he released his second solo album entitled Mandy Patinkin In Concert: Dress Casual on CBS Records.  His 1994 recording, Experiment, on the Nonesuch label, features songs from nine decades of popular music from Irving Berlin to Alan Menken.  Also recorded on the Nonesuch label is Oscar & Steve and Leonard Bernstein's New York.  

In 1998 he debuted his most personal project, Mamaloshen, a collection of traditional, classic and contemporary songs sung entirely in Yiddish.  The stage production of Mamaloshen was performed on and Off-Broadway and has toured throughout the country.  The recording of Mamaloshen won the Deutschen Schallplattenpreis (Germany's equivalent of the Grammy Award). In 2001, Nonesuch Records released Kidults, a collection of beloved songs, designed – as the title suggests – for the kid in every adult.  And, in 2002, Nonesuch Records released Mandy Patinkin Sings Sondheim, a figurative journey through Sondheim's music and lyrics.

Brian Kulick (Director) is in his fifth season as the Artistic Director of CSC, where he has directed Richard III, Richard II, Hamlet, The False Servant and The Mysteries. From 1996–2001 he was an Artistic Associate at The Public Theater, where he directed Twelfth Night, Kit Marlowe, The Winter's Tale, Pericles, A Dybbyk and Timon of Athens. Prior to this, he was the Associate Artistic Director of Trinity Repertory Company, where he directed Romeo and Juliet, Don Quxiote and The Illusion. His work in opera and music theatre includes Carmen, Pelleas and Melisande, A Soldier's Tale, The Guilty Mother and The Anatole Cycle (all for Long Beach Opera).  He has directed premieres of works by Tony Kushner, Charles L. Mee, Nilo Cruz, Han Ong and David Grimm. His work has also been seen at Playwrights Horizons, NYTW, the Mark Taper Forum, ACT (Seattle), the McCarter Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and the Magic Theatre, among others. He has been an artist-in-residence at the Mark Taper Forum and the Creative Director for The Shakespeare Society of New York.  Currently he is on the faculty of Columbia University's School of the Arts Theatre Program, where he teaches directing.

Craig Baldwin (Sebastian) previously appeared at Classic Stage Company in Richard II, Richard III and in the workshop of Monster directed by Michael Greif.  Other Off-Broadway credits include The Field (Irish Rep), Twelfth Night (NYSF) and Murder by Poe (The Acting Company).  Mr. Baldwin holds a BFA from The Julliard School.

Yusef Bulos (Gonzalo) appeared on Broadway in Fiddler on the Roof, Captain Brassbound's Conversion, and Indians.  Off-Broadway, Bulos has been seen in Timon of Athens and Henry V (Both at the Delecorte), The American Pilot (MTC), and Homebody/Kabul (NYTW).

Angel Desai (Ariel) was last seen as Marta in John Doyle's Tony Award winning revival of Company on Broadway.  Desai was previously seen at CSC in The Winter's Tale.  Other credits include Manic Flight Reaction and The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin (both at Playwrights Horizons), The Architecture of Loss (NYTW), Stop Kiss (Public Theatre) and Henry VIII (NYSF).

Karl Kensler (Antonio) has appeared on Broadway in Twelve Angry Men, The Caretaker, Dinner at Eight, and The Heiress.  Returning to CSC after appearing as Laertes and Guildenstern in Hamlet, other Off-Broadway credits include The Charity That Began at Home, Diana of Dobson's, Spinning Into Butter (LCT), and The Libertine.

Nan Mensah (Female Sprite) appeared in Mother Courage & Her Children at the Delecorte Theatre, The Bacchae, 365 Days/365 Plays (Public Theatre), as well as readings of Beautiful Night (Yale Rep), The War is Over (NYTW) and Inked Baby (Playwrights Horizons).

Nyambi Nyambi (Caliban) New York credits include 365 Days/365 Plays at The Public Theatre, The Blacks: A Clown Show and Ain't Supposed to Die A Natural Death at the Classical Theatre of Harlem, and Sliding Into The Beast at the New York Theatre Workshop.

Bhavesh Patel (Boatswain/Adrian/Male Sprite) His NY credits include Hayden's Seven Last Words at Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society and a workshop of Richard II starring Stephen Spinella.  Regionally Patel has appeared in The Book Club Play at the Berkshire Theatre Festival, The History Boys at St. Louise Repertory Theatre and War of the Roses, Pericles, and Midsummer Night's Dream all at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival.

Michael Potts (Alonso) has appeared on Broadway in Grey Gardens and Lennon.  Off-Broadway he has been seen at CSC in Richard III and The Mysteries as well as in Twelfth Night (Delecorte Theatre), Once Around the City (Second Stage), Overtime (MTC), and The American Play (Public).  Mr. Potts is a graduate of Yale School of Drama.

Steve Rattazzi (Stefano) is returning to Classic Stage Company after appearing in productions of The Alchemist, Christmas at the Ivanovs', and Therese Raquin.  Other Off-Broadway credits include Henry V (Delecorte) and The Fourth Sister (Vineyard).

Stark Sands (Ferdinand) was last seen in his Tony Nominated role as Liuetenant Raleigh in the recent award winning Broadway revival of Journeys End.  Film credits include Flags of Our Fathers; Shall We Dance; Chasing Liberty; Die, Mommie, Die! (2003 Sundance Film Festival); and Pretty Persuasion (Sundance 2005). Television appearances include "Six Feet Under" (Toby), "Hope & Faith" (Henry) and "Nip/Tuck" (Conor McNamara). BFA: University of Southern California.

Tony Torn (Trinculo) has previously been seen at CSC in Fragment.  Other credits include Yellow Face and The Public Theatre workshops of Passing Strange, Last of The Sons, References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot, and Dogeaters.

Elizabeth Waterston (Miranda) Off-Broadway/Regional credits include Much Ado About Nothing (Delecorte Theatre), Uncle Vanya (Long Wharf), Lady With A Lapdog (American Repertory Theatre), and Christmas In Naples (Williamstown Theatre Festival).

The Tempest will be performed Tuesday through Fridays at 8pm; Saturdays at 2pm and 8pm and Sundays at 3pm. Additional performances: Sun 9/28 & 10/12 at 7:30pm. No performances Tues 9/30 & Wed 10/8. For tickets and information, visit www.classicstage.org or call (866) 811-4111, or (212) 352-3101, or visit the CSC box-office at 136 East 13th Street, Monday through Friday 12 pm to 6 pm. Entering its 41st season as one of New York's most exciting Off-Broadway theaters, Classic Stage Company is the award-winning Off-Broadway theatre committed to re-imagining the classical repertory for a contemporary American audience.

CSC presents plays from the past that speak directly to the issues of today. As we return to works of the past, we endeavor to keep a clear eye on the future, particularly in terms of the next generation of artists and audiences. Classic Stage's artists are the best-established and emerging theater practitioners working in this country. Highly respected and widely regarded as a major force in New York and American theater, Classic Stage has been cited repeatedly by all the major Off-Broadway theater awards: Obies, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League and 1999 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Body of Work.

Memberships to Classic Stage Company productions are available at various price levels, including the flexible Masterpass membership, which in addition to prime seats, entitles members to participate in CSC special series, including their sold out Open Rehearsal events.   Go to www.classicstage.org for further information.

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.