Francois Battiste, Michael Crane, Ethan Phillips and Zach Shaffer Join MTC's TAKING CARE OF BABY; Full Cast Announced!

Manhattan Theatre Club has announced full casting for the American premiere of Taking Care of Baby by Dennis Kelly and directed by Erica Schmidt. Joining previously announced cast members Reed Birney (Blasted, Our Leading Lady), Kristen Bush (Kin, The Common Pursuit), Tony nominee Amelia Campbell (A Streetcar Named Desire, Our Country's Good) and Margaret Colin (The Columnist, "Gossip Girl"), are Francois Battiste (Magic/ Bird), Michael Crane (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson off-Broadway), Ethan Phillips (Golden Age) and Zach Shaffer ("Smash").

This five week limited engagement of Taking Care of Baby begins rehearsals tomorrow, Thursday, October 10 and is presented as part of The Studio at Stage II - Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Series at New York City Center - Stage II(131 West 55th Street). Previews begin Tuesday, November 5, in advance of the Tuesday, November 19 opening.

In order to ensure that tickets to Taking Care of Baby are affordable to the widest possible, most diverse audiences, MTC is pricing all tickets during the initial five-week run at $30. Tickets are currently on sale via CityTix (212-581-1212), www.nycitycenter.org and at the New York City Center Box Office (131 West 55th Street).

For additional details on Taking Care of Baby and offers to all MTC shows, please sign up for MTC's "30 Under 30" program for theatergoers age 30 and under https://www.manhattantheatreclub.com/30under30/.

An unspeakable tragedy. A shattered family. An accusation of murder. Taking Care of Baby, is a provocative new drama that boldly explores the elusive nature of truth and the depths we'll go to expose it.

The creative team includes Laura Jellinek (scenic design), Jessica Pabst (costume design), David Weiner (lighting design), and Fitz Patton (sound design).

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, MTC has become one of the country's most prominent and prestigious theatre companies. Over the past three decades, MTC productions have earned a total of 19 Tony Awards and six Pulitzer Prizes, an accomplishment unparalleled by a New York theatrical institution. MTC has a Broadway home at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street) and an Off-Broadway theatre at New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street). Since January 2011, Mandy Greenfield (Artistic Producer) has taken the lead in programming and execution at MTC's Off-Broadway home. Renowned MTC productions include The Assembled Parties; Venus in Fur; Master Class; Good People; The Whipping Man; Time Stands Still; The Royal Family; Ruined; The American Plan; Come Back, Little Sheba; Blackbird; Translations; Shining City; Rabbit Hole; Doubt; Proof; The Tale of the Allergist's Wife; Love! Valour! Compassion!; A Small Family Business; Sylvia; Putting It Together; Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune; Crimes of the Heart; and Ain't Misbehavin.'

The Studio at Stage II is Manhattan Theatre Club's new initiative, under the leadership of Mandy Greenfield, at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street). The initiative launched last season with the sold out, critically acclaimed world premiere of MURDER BALLAD the new rock musical by Julia Jordan and Juliana Nash and continued this summer with the critically acclaimed American premiere of CHOIR BOY, a play with music by Tarell Alvin McCraney. As part of The Studio at Stage II, MTC and Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director; Jeremy Blocker, Managing Director) have partnered to launch The Writer's Room a program to commission, develop, and support playwrights in the process of creating new work for the stage. Commissioned writers for 2012-2013 are Adam Bock (A Small Fire) and Justin Levine (Bonfire Night) collaborating on the creation of a new musical; Thomas Bradshaw (Job); Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale); and Sharyn Rothstein (The Invested).

The Studio at Stage II has been partially underwritten with a major grant from The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust.

Tickets for Taking Care of Baby are available at the New York City Center Box Office (131 West 55th Street), CityTix (212-581-1212), and www.nycitycenter.org. In order to ensure that tickets to Taking Care of Baby are affordable to the widest possible, most diverse audiences, MTC is pricing tickets at $30 for the initial run of the show.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

· TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5 - SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24: Tuesday through Sunday at 7:30 PM. Matinees on Saturday andSunday at 2:30 PM. Please note that tickets will not be on sale to the general public on Tuesday, November 19 (opening night).

· MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25 - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1 (THANKSGIVING WEEK): Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 PM. Matinees on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2:30 PM. There will be no performance onThursday, November 28 due to Thanksgiving holiday.

· MONDAY, DECEMBER 2 - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8: Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 PM. Matinees on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2:30 PM.

BIOGRAPHIES:

Francois Battiste (Martin McAuliffe). Broadway: Magic/Bird; Prelude to a Kiss (Roundabout). Off-Broadway: Bronx Bombers (Primary Stages), Detroit '67 (The Public/Classical Theatre of Harlem), Broke-Ology (Lincoln Center), The Good Negro (The Public, OBIE Award, Lortel nomination), The Winter's Tale (Delacorte), The Merchant of Venice (Delacorte), Ten Things to do Before I Die (Second Stage), Regional: Williamstown, Sundance, NY Stage and Film, Goodman, Victory Gardens, Chicago Shakespeare, Dallas Theatre Center, People's Light and Theatre, Lookingglass. Selected TV/Film: The Good Wife, Person of Interest, Are We There Yet? HBO's The Normal Heart, Men in Black III, You Bury Your Own. Founding member of The Collective Theatre Company in Chicago.

Kristen Bush (Donna McAuliffe) NYC: The Common Pursuit (Roundabout, dir. Moises Kaufman); Kin (Playwrights Horizons, dir. Sam Gold);Isaac's Eye; Photograph 51 (both Ensemble Studio Theatre); King Lear (The Public); Great Expectations (Theatreworks/Lucille Lortel). Regional: Proof (McCarter, dir. Emily Mann); Saturn Returns (South Coast Rep); Passion Play (Goodman); The Violet Hour (Old Globe). Film/TV: Liberal Arts (dir. Josh Radnor); Synechdoche, NY (dir. Charlie Kaufman); Ashborough (NBC/Chiller); Winners (short, dir. Ryan Dickie); "Elementary," "L&O: SVU," "The Good Wife," "Blue Bloods," "Suits," "Person of Interest," "Unforgettable," "Medium," "Numbers," "NCIS," & "Knight Rider."

Reed Birney (Dr. Millard). Broadway: Gemini; Picnic (Howard Bevins); Off-Broadway: Uncle Vanya (Vanya, Drama Desk Nomination) Blasted (Ian, Drama Desk Nomination) Soho Rep; Circle Mirror Transformation (Shultz, OBIE, Drama Desk Awards)A Small Fire (John) Playwrights Horizons; Tigers Be Still (Joseph) The Dream Of The Burning Boy (Larry, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League Nominations) Roundabout Underground; Bug (Dr. Sweet, OBIE Award) Barrow Street; Regional: All The Way(Hubert Humphrey) A.R.T Cambridge Television: "House of Cards" (Donald Blythe); 2006 OBIE for Sustained Excellence. 2011 Drama Desk Award for Career Excellence.

Amelia Campbell (Mrs. Millard/Jane/Waitress/Woman). Broadway: A Streetcar Named Desire; Our Country's Good (Tony Nomination); A Small Family Business; Translations; The Herbal Bed; Waiting In The Wings. Recent off B'way: The Exonerated (Culture Project); The Fall To Earth (59E59); Philip Roth In Khartoum (LAByrinth); The Misanthrope (NYTW); Tryst (Promenade). Regional: Good People; A Midsummer Nights Dream; The Night Of The Iguana; Desire Under The Elms. Film & T.V.: Stand Clear of the Closing Doors (upcoming); What Maisie Knew; Leaves of Grass; The Paper; A Simple Twist of Fate; "Mercy"; "Third Watch"; "Law & Order"; "Law & Order Criminal Intent"; "A Dog Year"(HBO) "My Lousiana Sky"(Showtime).

Margaret Colin (Lynn Barrie). World premiere of The Columnist at the Friedman. Other MTC credits include: Defiance, Psychopathia Sexualisis, Aristocrats, Off-Broadway: Temporary Help, Betrayal, Triptych, Sight Unseen. Recent TV: "Blue Bloods," "Nurse Jackie," and "Gossip Girl." Upcoming films: The Favor. Broadway: 'Lady Croom' in Tom Stoppard's Arcadia, Jackie an American Life, as Jackie Kennedy(Theatre World Award), Old Acquaintance, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (Roundabout). Additional Films: Independence Day, 3 Men and a Baby, Blue Car, True Believer, The Devils Own. Additional TV: series leads on "Now and Again," "Foley Square," "Chicago Hope," "Leg Work," "As the World Turns" (Margo), many cable movies.

Michael Crane (Reporter/Man at Door). Off-Broadway: Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, King Lear and Richard III (Public), Doris to Darlene(Playwrights Horizons). Other credits include the title role in Hamlet (Pioneer Theatre Co), Italian American Reconciliation (Long Wharf),The Tenant (Woodshed Collective), Hell Meets Henry Halfway (Pig Iron Theatre Co.), Ubu the King (Williamstown), The Mag-7 (Naked Angels), middlemen (Human Animals), The Young Left (Cherry Lane), West Moon Street (Prospect Theater Co.), Bone Portraits (Stillpoint Prods.). Film/TV: Winter's Tale, Children of the Northern Lights, "Damages," "White Collar," "Law & Order," "Kings." MFA: NYU.

Ethan Phillips (Jim/Old Man at the Door). November (Barrymore); My Favorite Year (Lincoln Center); Golden Age (MTC), The Imaginary Invalid (Bard's SummerScape); Measure for Measure (NYSF); Lips Together, Teeth Apart (Lortel), Modigliani (Astor Place); Donut World (Playwrights Horizons). Regional: A.R.T., Pasadena Playhouse, Old Globe Theatre, Seattle Rep, Mark Taper, Baltimore Center Stage, Westport Country Playhouse, Actors' Theatre Louisville, Boston Shakespeare Co., Geffen Playhouse, McCarter. Films: Inside Llewyn Davis, The Island, Bad Santa, Green Card, Man Without a Face, Lean on Me, Glory and others.

Zach Shaffer (Brian/Interviewer). Broadway: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (u/s Nick), A View From The Bridge, The Man Who Came to Dinner. NY credits include: The Wii Plays, Playlist, Mine, Missed Connections NYC, Brown, Love is Deaf, Down the Drain, Til the Rapture Comes. Film & TV: "Smash" (NBC) Salt (Columbia Pictures), "Strangers With Candy," "The Black Donnellys," "Six Feet Under," "XX/XY," "Law & Order." Zach also co-directed and produced the documentary Squeezebox!, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival before going on to tour film festivals around the world.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride

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