PLENTY, Starring Rachel Weisz, Begins Tonight at The Public Theater

The Public Theater's production of Plenty, written by David Hare, recently extended two weeks through Sunday, November 20. Directed by five-time Tony Award nominee David Leveaux, the show begins previews tonight, October 4, and will run an additional two weeks through Sunday, November 20 with an official press opening on Thursday, October 20.

The complete cast of Plenty features Liesel Allen Yeager (Dorcas), Pun Bandhu (M. Aung), Ken Barnett (Codename Lazar), Emily Bergl (Alice Park), Dani de Waal (Louise), Mike Iveson (Another Frenchman), Byron Jennings (Leonard Darwin), LeRoy McClain (Mick), Tim Nicolai (John Begley), Paul Niebanck (Sir Andrew Charleson), Ann Sanders (Mme. Aung), Corey Stoll (Raymond Brock), Benjamin Thys (A Frenchman), and Rachel Weisz (Susan Traherne).

One of the most celebrated plays in The Public's history, David Hare's Plenty returns this fall in a riveting new production. This groundbreaking play is the story of Susan Traherne (Rachel Weisz), a fiercely intelligent British secret agent flown into France during the Second World War. Susan's experiences among her war-time colleagues and over the two decades that follow are distilled in powerful scenes in this endlessly layered work about a woman of remarkable bravery, who cannot find in peacetime the values.

PLENTY features scenic design by Mike Britton, costume design by Jess Goldstein, lighting design by David Weiner, original music and sound design by David Van Tieghem, and hair and wig design by Leah J. Loukas.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

David Hare (Playwright). In a millennial poll carried out to discover the 100 best plays of the 20th century, Hare had written five of them. His relationship with The Public Theater goes back to Joe Papp's production of his very first play SLAG in 1971. He has had 13 of his plays presented on Broadway, including the 1982 Public Theater production of Plenty with Kate Nelligan and Ed Herrmann, which he directed and which was subsequently filmed with Meryl Streep; The Secret Rapture with Blair Brown; Skylight with Michael Gambon and Lia Williams, and revived last season with Carey Mulligan and Bill Nighy; Amy's View with Judi Dench; The Judas Kiss with Liam Neeson; The Blue Room with Nicole Kidman; Via Dolorosa (in which he also performed); and The Vertical Hour with Julianne Moore and Bill Nighy. In 2006, his play about the diplomatic process leading up to the Iraq war, Stuff Happens, was presented by The Public in the Newman Theater and for one-night-only at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, and in 2009 he performed his own monologues Berlin/Wall at The Public Theater. His many screenplays include Damage with Juliette Binoche, Jeremy Irons and Miranda Richardson; The Hours with Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore and Nicole Kidman; and The Reader with Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes, the last two both directed by Stephen Daldry. His latest film, Denial, about the 2000 private prosecution of the American academic Deborah Lipstadt, has just finished shooting with Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson and Timothy Spall.

David Leveaux (Director) recently directed the West End production of Closer at the Donmar Warehouse. He also just finished (Fall 2015) directing his first feature The Kaiser's Last Kiss. Previously, he directed the Broadway production of Romeo & Juliet starring Orlando Bloom, the musical Backbeat on the West End as well as Jenny Worton's stage adaptation of Ingmar Bergman's Through A Glass Darkly for Atlantic Theater Company starring Carey Mulligan. Prior Broadway productions include Arcadia (Tony nomination, Best Revival); Cyrano de Bergerac; Tom Stoppard's Jumpers (Tony nominations, Outstanding Direction and Best Revival); The Real Thing (Tony nomination, Outstanding Direction and Tony Award Best Revival); Fiddler on the Roof (Tony nomination, Best Revival); Nine (Tony nomination, Outstanding Direction and Tony Award, Best Revival); The Glass Menagerie; Betrayal (Tony nomination, Best Revival); Electra (Tony nomination, Best Revival); Anna Christie (Tony nomination, Outstanding Direction and Tony Award, Best Revival); and A Moon for the Misbegotten (Tony nominations, Outstanding Direction and Best Revival). London theatre includes Arcadia, Jumpers, The Real Thing, The Late Middle Classes, Nine, Sinatra Live at the London Palladium, Electra, The Father, No Man's Land, Moonlight, Betrayal, The Distance From Here, 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, Romeo and Juliet, and A Moon for the Misbegotten. Also, Rudolph (Vienna), Tales of Ballycumber and The Three Sisters (Abbey, Dublin); The Turn of the Screw (Scottish Opera); The Marriage of Figaro and Salome (English National Opera).

Liesel Allen Yeager (Dorcas) has appeared at The Public in the Public Studio production of Teenage Dick. Broadway credits include Vanya and Sonia and Masha And Spike. Off-Broadway she has been seen in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at LCT, Too Much Too Soon at Lesser America, The Sporting life at Studio 42.Reginally she has appeared in Vicuna at the Ojai Playwrights Conference, Amadeus at South Coast Rep, Teenage Dick at the Eugene O'Neill, c*ckat Studio Theatre, and Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at Center Theatre Group. Film and television credits include A Picture of You, "Daredevil," "The Goodwife," "Rizzoli & Isles," "How to Make it in America."

Pun Bandhu (M. Aung) has appeared on Broadway in Wit at Manhattan Theatre Club. His Off-Broadway credits including Informed Consent, and Faust, in addition to work with Soho Rep, Foundry Theatre, Ma-Yi Theatre, NAATCO and PS 122, among others. His regional credits include Actors Theatre Humana Festival, Baltimore Center Stage, Denver Center Theatre, McCarter Theatre, TheatreWorks, Yale Rep, and Williamstown Theatre Festival. His film and television credits include Money Monster, The Judge, Stephen King's A Good Marriage, Late Phases, Burn After Reading, Michael Clayton, "The Good Wife," "Law & Order," "Elementary," "White Collar," and "Nurse Jackie."

Ken Barnett (Codeman Lazar) has appeared at The Public in The Fortress of Solitude and February House. On Broadway he has appeared in Fun Home, Julie Taymor's The Green Bird, and Wonderful Town. His additional Off-Broadway credits include Nicky Silver's Too Much Sun, And Baby Makes Seven, Debbie Does Dallas, La Ronde, et al. Recent regional credits include Private Lives; originAl Monty in A Gentleman's Guide...; True West; Next Fall; Burn This. Select Television credits include "Christophe" on Amazon's "Mozart in the Jungle," "House of Cards," "The Knick," "High Maintenance," "Mad Men." Two CT Critics' Circle Awards and Best Actor at NY Fringe.

Emily Bergl (Alice Park) has appeared at The Public in The Comedy of Errors. Her Broadway credits include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, A Touch of the Poet, The Rivals, and The Lion in Winter, and Off-Broadway credits include Becky Shaw, Love Loss and What I Wore, Fiction, Where Do We Live, Old Money. She is known for her many television roles including the upcoming "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life" "Shameless" "American Crime" "Desperate Housewives" "Southland" and "Men in Trees."

DANI ?? WAAL (Louise) has appeared on Broadway in Picnic and in the National Tour of Once as "Girl." Her additional credits include Mamma Mia! on the West End and in Just So at the Edinbrugh Fringe. She has performed in the workshops of The Last Ship, LIFT, and Defect. Her film credits include Non-Stop and For Marta. She trained at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, London.

Mike Iveson (Another Frenchman) has appeared at The Public in Gatz, Arguendo, and The Sound & The Fury all with the multiple-award-winning Elevator Repair Service theater company. He also performed as Jake Barnes in The Select, the company's version of Ernest Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises," at New York Theatre Workshop, as well as in New Georges' Obie-winning A Beautiful Day in November on the Greatest of the Great Lakes. His television credits include "Orange Is the New Black."

Byron Jennings (Leonard Darwin) has appeared at The Public in The Twenty-Seventh Man, The Merchant of Venice, The Winter's Tale, Stuff Happens, On The Open Road, and Pericles. His Broadway credits include She Loves Me, You Can't Take it With You, Macbeth, Arcadia, The Merchant of Venice, Inherit The Wind, Noises Off, Is He Dead, Accent on Youth, Heartbreak House, A Touch of the Poet, Twelve Angry Men, The Man Who Came To Dinner, A Month in the Country, Henry IV, Dinner at Eight, The Invention of Love, Carousel, and Sight Unseen. His additional Off-Broadway credits include Waste, Don Juan, The Foreigner, Dealer's Choice, and Ten Chimneys. His film and television credits include True Store, Lincoln, Julie & Julia, Hamlet, Civil Action, The Ice Storm, A Time to Kill, Quiz Show, A Simple Twist of Fate, I'm Losing You, "Boardwalk Empire," "Elementary," "Billions," "Difficult People," "Damages," "White Collar," "Kings," "Gossip Girl," "Law & Order," "Liberty," and "God in America."

LE?OY McCLAIN (Mick) has appeared at The Public in The Good Negro. His Broadway credits include The History Boys and Cymbeline. His Off-Broadway credits include Milk Like Sugar, Born Bad, Othello, Measure for Measure, Oroonoko, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, Huck & Holden, In Search of Stanley Hammer, and others. Regionally and internationally, he has performed lead and major roles in Some Brighter Distance, Safe House, A Raisin in the Sun (Walter Lee Younger), Hamlet (title role), Partners, Twelfth Night, Clybourne Park, The Convert, Milk Like Sugar, The Piano Lesson, As You Like It, Antony & Cleopatra, Othello, The Whipping Man, The Good Negro, Blue/Orange, Elmina's Kitchen, Trouble In Mind, The Comedy of Errors, Rough Crossing, Richard II, Three Days of Rain, Private Eyes, A Midsummer Night's Dream, like sun fallin' in the mouth, The Taming of the Shrew, King Lear, and others. McClain's film and television work includes The Happy Sad; The Adjustment Bureau, After, The Stage, "Madam Secretary"; "Rubicon"; "Law & Order: Criminal Intent"; "Guiding Light"; "Breaking In"; and others.

Tim Nicolai (John Begley) has appeared at The Public in Cymbeline and The Tempest. His regional credits include The Grapes of Wrath, Romeo and Juliet, and The Tempest (Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey). Credits at NYU include Three Sisters, Plenty, Describe the Night (Rajiv Joseph world premiere), The Beaux Stratagem, Pale Fires, and A Free Man of Color. Television credits include "Madam Secretary," Amazon's "Z."

Paul Niebanck (Sir Andrew Charleson) last appeared at The Public in Barbecue. His additional New York credits include Blood and Gifts, In the Next Room or the vibrator play at LCT; BOY, A Walk in the Woods at Keen; RX at Primary Stages; A Picture of Autumn at The Mint; Shockheaded Peter; Much Ado About Nothing at Theatre for a New Audience; The American Clock at Signature; Great Expectations at the Lortel; Bill W. and Dr. Bob; The Seagull at The Pearl; Leaving Queens at The Women' Project. His film and television credits include Manhattan Romance, "Blacklist," "Person of Interest," "Burn Notice," and "One Life To Live."

Ann Sanders (Mme. Aung) most recently appeared in Lincoln Center's Tony Award-winning production of The King and I, where she made history as the first Asian-American actress to play Anna Leonowens on Broadway. Other Broadway credits include If/Then, Leap of Faith, Avenue Q (Christmas Eve), Beauty and the Beast (Belle). Her Off-Broadway credits include Falsettoland (Trina) at the Vineyard Theatre. Regional credits include roles in Allegiance, Hair, Carousel, and Shrek. Her television appearances include "Johnny and the Sprites," "The Big C," "Unforgettable," and "Elementary."

Corey Stoll (Raymond Brock) most recently appeared as Ulysses in The Public's production of Troilus and Cressida. His additional theater credits include A View From The Bridge, Old Acquaintance, Three Sisters, Some Americans Abroad, Beast, Intimate Apparel (Drama Desk nomination). His film and television credits include Ant-Man; This Is Where I Leave You; The Good Lie; Glass Chin; Midnight in Paris (Spirit Award nomination); "House of Cards" (Golden Globe nomination); "The Strain"; "Girls"; "Homeland." He will be seen in the upcoming features Cafe Society, Gold, The Seagull.

BENJAMIN THYS (A Frenchman) has appeared at The Public in Measure for Measure and All's Well that Ends Well, and the workshops of Chinglish and Unexplored Interior. Other New York credits include Sleep No More, The Seagull, Much Ado About Nothing, Richard III, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Romeo and Juliet. His film and television credits include the upcoming Noah Baumbach feature Yeh Din Ka Kissa, Front Cover, "The Jim Gaffigan Show," "Broad City," "Master of None," "Forever," "Taxi Brooklyn," "High Maintenance."

Rachel Weisz (Susan Traherne) received an Academy Award, SAG Award, and Golden Globe Award for The Constant Gardner. She recently appeared on Broadway in Mike Nichols' Betrayal. Her additional credits include the revival of A Streetcar Named Desire in the West End (Olivier Award); The Shape of Things, in London and New York, as well as the movie adaptation; Noel Coward's Design for Living; and Suddenly Last Summer. Her additional film credits include Youth; The Lobster; The Deep Blue Sea; Agora; The Brothers Bloom; My Blueberry Nights; The Lovely Bones; Definitely Maybe; The Whistleblower; Constantine; The Fountain; Runaway Jury; About a Boy; Enemy at the Gates; The Mummy; The Mummy Returns; The Bourne Legacy; Oz: The Great and Powerful; and David Hare's "Page Eight." Her upcoming films include Mick Jackson's Denial, Joshua Marston's Complete Unknown, Roger Michell's My Cousin Rachel, and James Marsh's Untitled Donald Crowhurst Project opposite Colin Firth. She is a producer on Radiator, directed by Tom Browne.

The Public Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham, is the only theater in New York that produces Shakespeare, the classics, musicals, contemporary and experimental pieces in equal measure. Celebrating his 10th anniversary season at The Public, Eustis has created new community-based initiatives designed to engage audiences like Public Lab, Public Studio, Public Forum, Public Works, and a remount of the Mobile Unit. The Public continues the work of its visionary founder, Joe Papp, by acting as an advocate for the theater as an essential cultural force, and leading and framing dialogue on some of the most important issues of our day. Creating theater for one of the largest and most diverse audience bases in New York City for nearly 60 years, today the Company engages audiences in a variety of venues-including its landmark downtown home at Astor Place, which houses five theaters and Joe's Pub; the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, home to free Shakespeare in the Park; and the Mobile Unit, which tours Shakespearean productions for underserved audiences throughout New York City's five boroughs. The Public's wide range of programming includes free Shakespeare in the Park, the bedrock of the Company's dedication to making theater accessible to all; Public Works, an expanding initiative that is designed to cultivate new connections and new models of engagement with artists, audiences and the community each year; and audience and artist development initiatives that range from Emerging Writers Group and to the Public Forum series. The Public is located on property owned by the City of New York and receives annual support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; and in October 2012 the landmark building downtown at Astor Place was revitalized to physically manifest the Company's core mission of sparking new dialogues and increasing accessibility for artists and audiences, by dramatically opening up the building to the street and community, and transforming the lobby into a public piazza for artists, students, and audiences. The Public is currently represented on Broadway by the Tony Award-winning acclaimed American musical Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The Public has received 59 Tony Awards, 168 Obie Awards, 53 Drama Desk Awards, 54 Lortel Awards, 32 Outer Critics Circle Awards, 13 New York Drama Critics Awards, and five Pulitzer Prizes.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride