GATES OF GOLD Has Its American Premiere At 59E59 2/19

GATES OF GOLD, a new comedic drama by Frank McGuinness will hold its American Premiere at 59E59 Theaters. Previews begin Thursday, February 19, 2009. The official opening will be on Sunday, March 1, 2009. Produced by Artists Theatre Group, Inc., Warren Baker and Sally Jacobs, the production is directed by Kent Paul.

Written by acclaimed Irish author Frank McGuinness, who earned a Tony Award nomination for Someone Who'll Watch Over Me, and received a Tony Award for best revival in 1997 for A Doll's House, GATES OF GOLD is an acerbic duel between Hilton Edwards and Micheál MacLiammóir, fashionable and eloquent theatrical trailblazers who founded Dublin's Gate Theatre. GATES OF GOLD is funny, witty, deeply moving and a vibrant celebration of art, love, and, finally, life itself.

This production marks the American premiere of GATES OF GOLD, which starred Alan Howard in Dublin and William Gaunt in the West End.

Frank McGuinness was born in Buncrana, Co. Donegal, lives in Dublin and lectures in English at University College, Dublin. His plays include: The Factory Girls (Abbey Theatre, Dublin, 1982 and Arcola Theatre, London, January 2006), Baglady (Abbey Theatre, Dublin, 1985), Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme (Abbey Theatre, Dublin, 1985; Hampstead Theatre, London, 1986), Innocence (Gate Theatre, Dublin, 1986), Carthaginians (Abbey Theatre, Dublin, 1988; Hampstead Theatre, London, 1989), Mary and Lizzie (RSC, 1989), The Bread Man (Gate Theatre, Dublin, 1991), Someone Who'll Watch Over Me (Hampstead, West End and Broadway (Tony nominated Best Play, 1992); The Bird Sanctuary (Abbey Theatre, Dublin, 1992), Mutabilitie (RNT, 1997), Dolly West's Kitchen (Abbey, 1999; Old Vic, 2000) and Gates of Gold (The Gate Theatre, Dublin, 2002, Finborough Theatre, London, 2004). His translations include Ibsen's Rosmersholm (RNT, 1987), Lorca's Yerma (Abbey, 1987), Peer Gynt (Gate, 1988; RSC and international tour, 1994; RNT, 2000), Chekhov's Three Sisters (Gate and Royal Court, 1990), Brecht's The Threepenny Opera (Gate, 1991), Hedda Gabler (Roundabout Theatre, Broadway, 1994), Uncle Vanya (Field Day Production, 1995), A Doll's House (Playhouse Theatre, Broadway, 1997, which earned a Tony Award for Best revival), The Caucasian Chalk Circle (RNT, 1997), Sophocles' Electra (Chichester, Donmar Warehouse, Broadway, 1998), Ovstrovsky's The Storm (Almeida Theatre, London, 1998), Miss Julie (West End, 2000), Euripides' Hecuba (Donmar Warehouse, 2004), his adaptation of Du Maurier's Rebecca (David Pugh Productions, national tour, 2005) and his version of Phaedra (Donmar Warehouse, 2006). Frank's latest play There Came a Gypsy Riding was produced by the Almeida Theatre in 2007. His recent adaptation of Oedipus just ended its highly successful run at the National in London.

Kent Paul (director Caesar and Cleopatra) helped launch Contemporary Stage Company in Wilmington, Delaware, where he directed productions of Donald Margulies' Collected Stories starring Lynn Redgrave, Joe Suttonís Restoring the Sun, and two plays in the 2006 Athol Fugard Festival: The Island with Keith Powell and Sean PatRick Thomas, and Exits and Entrances. Other productions include The Bird Sanctuary by Frank McGuinness with Elizabeth Franz and Hayley Mills (U.S. premiere, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Alabama Shakespeare Festival); Long Day's Journey into Night with Sam Waterston, Elizabeth Franz, John Slattery and James Waterston (Syracuse Stage); The Glass Menagerie and Look Homeward, Angel (PlayMakers Repertory Company); and Lanford Wilson's The Mound Builders (Burning Coal Theatre Company). Musicals include: She Loves Me (choreographed by Marge Champion) and Kiss Me, Kate at the Berkshire Theatre Festival. New scripts he has directed include The Double Bass with Boyd Gaines (an adaptation by Eric Overmyer of the German play by Patrick S¸skind), Peking Man by Cao Yu (the foremost Chinese playwright of our time), Journey to Gdansk, which introduced Polish playwright Janusz Glowacki in this country, and the 2008 Fringe Festival production of Lecture, with Cello by Robert Moulthrop. His documentary film Sanford Meisner: The Theater's Best Kept Secret was broadcast on PBS, had an extended run at the Public Theater, and was seen at film festivals around the world. A native of Nebraska, he is a graduate of Harvard College and the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre.

The cast of GATES OF GOLD includes Martin Rayner, Charles Shaw-Robinson, Diane Ciesla, Seth Numrich and Kathleen McNenny.

Set Design is by Michael Schweikardt, Ryan Scott is the Assistant Set Designer, Lighting Design is by Phil Monat and Costume Design is by Nanzi Adzima. Casting by Hughes Moss Casting, Barry Moss and Bob Kale.

Tickets are $35 and can be ordered by calling Ticket Central 212.279.4200, online at www.59E59.org, or in person during the following 59E59 box office hours: Mon 12-6pm, Tues-Sat 12-8pm, Sun 12-3pm.

59E59 is located at 59 East 59th St. (btw Madison and Park). Directions by Subway: 4/5/6/N/R/W to Lexington and 59th Street. By bus: M1/2/3/4 on Madison and 5th Avenue, M101/102/103 on Lexington Avenue, Q32 on Madison and 5th Avenue.

The production continues until March 29, 2009.

 

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