Fellowship for Performing Arts Opens First New York Revival of William Nicholson's SHADOWLANDS

Fellowship for Performing Arts announced today they will return to New York for their third season with the first New York revival of William Nicholson's award-winning play SHADOWLANDS.

Performances of SHADOWLANDS began on Tuesday, Oct. 17, and run through Jan. 7, 2018. Opening night is set for tonight, Nov. 1, at The Acorn Theatre at Theatre Row (410 W. 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036). Tickets are on sale now at www.FPAtheatre.com.

"We are excited to bring this Tony-nominated and London Evening Standard Award-winning play back to New York," said FPA Founder and Artistic Director Max McLean.

In its first New York revival since the 1990 premiere, William Nicholson's award-winning play SHADOWLANDS follows the unlikely and true love story of renowned Oxford scholar and Christian apologist C.S. Lewis and the much younger Joy Davidman, a Jewish-American writer, former Communist and Christian convert. The smart, brash Davidman bursts into Lewis' sedate, middle-aged life and upends it. Lewis is as shocked as anyone to discover that he and Davidman have fallen deeply in love - and then almost immediately he must contend with the equally deep pain of losing her when she is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Full of great humor and keen insight, the play is a moving portrait of love and loss, faith and doubt, as inspired by Lewis' own A Grief Observed.

SHADOWLANDS premiered as a television film in 1989, winning two BAFTA Awards, including Best Play. It made its stage debut in London's Queen's Theatre, running from October 1989 through September 1990 and starring Nigel Hawthorne and Jane Lapotaire. This production won the Evening Standard Award for Best Play and Jane Lapotaire's performance as Joy Davidman received a nomination for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress. SHADOWLANDS then transferred to Broadway, running from November 1990 through April 1991, with Nigel Hawthorne reprising the role of C.S. Lewis. Hawthorne won the 1991 Tony Award for Best Actor, and the show was also nominated for Best Play.

The cast of SHADOWLANDS will include Daniel Gerroll (OBIE Award for Sustained Excellence Broadway: High Society, The Homecoming, Plenty. Film: Chariots of Fire. TV: Seinfeld) as "C.S. Lewis;" Robin Abramson (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Performer of the Year, Tribes, Blackbird, Richard III) as "Joy Davidman;" John C. Vennema (Linda, Manhattan Theatre Club) as Lewis' brother, "Warnie;" Sean Gormley (Rebel in the Soul, Irish Rep) as "Christopher Riley;" Dan Kremer (Julius Ceasar, Shakespeare Theatre Company) as "Harry Harrington;" Jack McCarthy (Finding Neverland) and Jacob Morrell (Kinky Boots) alternating as Joy's young son "Douglas;" Jacob H. Knoll (Hamlet, Denver Center, Gorilla Rep's Hamlet) as "Alan Gregg" and "Doctor;" Daryll Heysham (Romeo and Juliet) as "Dr. Oakley," "Waiter," "Clerk" and "Priest;" Stephanie Cozart (Lost in Yonkers) as "Registrar" and "Nurse;" and John Little (Cabaret National Tour) and Amy Bizjak (Fabulous!) as understudies.

SHADOWLANDS is directed by Christa Scott-Reed, with scenic design by Kelly James Tighe, costume design by Michael Bevins, lighting design by Aaron Spivey, and original music and sound design by John Gromada. The stage manager will be Kelly Burns. Casting is by Carol Hanzel and casting consulting by Judy Henderson, C.S.A. This production is executive produced by Ken Denison.

The performance schedule is as follows: from Oct. 17 through Oct. 20, all performances are at 8 p.m. From Oct. 21 through Jan. 7, performances will be Tuesdays through Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Beginning Nov. 8, there will be additional Wednesday matinees at 2 p.m. Exceptions: There will be no performances on Thursday, Nov. 23; Sunday, Dec. 24; or Sunday, Dec. 31. There will be an additional 2 p.m. matinee on Friday, Dec. 29.

Tickets are priced at $75 and $95 and are now on sale. To purchase tickets, please visit www.FPAtheatre.com or call 212-239-6200.

Founded by Max McLean, New York City-based Fellowship for Performing Arts (FPA) produces theatre from a Christian worldview created to engage diverse audiences. In its first two seasons in New York it produced The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters and Martin Luther on Trial at The Pearl Theatre and C.S. Lewis Onstage: The Most Reluctant Convert at The Acorn Theatre at Theatre Row.

FPA's production of The Screwtape Letters played previously at the Westside Theatre where it ran for over 300 performances and has toured nationally including sit down productions in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and London.

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