Patricia Richardson Leads I FORGIVE YOU, RONALD REAGAN at The Beckett Theatre, Beg. Tonight

The producers of I Forgive You, Ronald Reagan, the new play by John S. Anastasi, in which the present is on a collision course with the past, present the limited Off-Broadway run this summer. Directed by Charles Abbott, performances began at The Beckett Theatre (410 West 42nd Street - between 9th & 10th Aves.) on Monday, July 15. Opening Night is set for tonight, Tuesday, July 30 at 7:00 p.m. The show is scheduled to play through August 25th.

In I Forgive You, Ronald Reagan, when it comes to air traffic, Ray Deluso has everything under control. But on the ground, his life is a struggle after a rebellious political decision in the early eighties. Twenty years later, pride, anger, and obsession threaten the only things that matter to him: his wife and daughter. Can Ray find forgiveness and gain control, even if it means letting go?

The cast for I Forgive You, Ronald Reagan is: PJ Benjamin (Wicked, Damn Yankees), Danielle Faitelson (Honky), Robert Emmet Lunney(Born Yesterday, Mauritius), and Patricia Richardson ("Home Improvement" - Golden Globe & Emmy Award nominee).

The creative team is comprised of: Craig Napoliello (scenic design), Kristy Leigh Hall (costume design), Jeffrey Koger (lighting design),Jason Crystal (sound design) and David Bengali (projection design). Christine Catti is Production Stage Manager.

Tickets are $51.25 and may be purchased online through Telecharge.com or by calling (212) 239-6200. They may also be obtained in person at the Theatre Row box office (410 West 42nd Street). Hours are Monday-Saturday from 12noon to 6pm and Sunday from 12noon to curtain. There are no advance sales (1) one hour prior to curtain.

The performance schedule is: Monday & Tuesday at 7:00pm, Thursday & Friday at 8:00pm, Saturday at 2:00 & 8:00pm and Sunday at 3:00pm.

I Forgive You, Ronald Reagan is being produced by Shirley Pechter, BareBones Theatre Company, Broadway Bound Productions,John Howard Swain and Mid-Life Productions.

John S. Anastasi (Playwright) works written for the stage include In My Father's Eyes, a play with music, produced at the Forum Theater (New Jersey) and the historic Mishler Theater (Altoona, PA). Music by David Friedman. It was selected as an alternate at the New York Fringe Festival (Summer 2003). Stolen Lives, a two character drama, presented at the Acorn Theater at Theatre Row after being presented at the Mishler Theater. Pied a Terre enjoyed a successful off Broadway premiere at the Kirk Theater at Theatre Row in 2007. Since being published by Samuel French in 2008, Pied a Terre has been produced at the Cork Theatre in Ireland and has been fully translated in Chinese and produced at the Shanghai Grand Theatre in China, as well as multiple cities in China. It is being translated in Italian for a production in Rome in the near future. The playwright is an active member of the Dramatist Guild of America Inc.

Charles Abbott (Director) As an Artistic Director: Maine State Music Theatre from 1991 to 2010; prior to that, Associate Artistic Director of The ALLIANCE THEATRE in Atlanta. As a director: Philadelphia's Walnut Street Theatre, 28 productions including 4 world premieres, one of which was Neil Simon's Hotel Suite; 2010 recipient of the Edwin Forrest Lifetime Achievement Award, 5 Barrymore nominations, 2 Barrymore Awards. He has directed 15 productions in Houston at Theatre Under the Stars and The Alley Theatre including the world premiere of Yeston/Kopit's Phantom!, two star-filled productions of Follies, Nuts, and the extended one-year run of A...My Name is Alice. For Oklahoma! at LA Opera he won the first-ever Drama-Logue Award. He has directed multiple productions at Alabama Shakespeare Festival and Seattle's Fifth Avenue, and Master Class at Portland Stage Company. As an actor: The Emcee in Cabaret, performing it over a thousand times since beginning in the 1st national tour under Harold Prince's direction. Broadway and other national tours: Two Gentlemen of Verona, Blood Red Roses, Marat/DeSade, and as Joel Grey's standby for The Grand Tour. Recently at the Fulton Theatre, he appeared in Treasure Island and Spamalot, and directed Deathtrap and Witness for the Prosecution. He is proud to have an annual SDC Foundation Fellowship in his name, awarded each year to a burgeoning director selected to assist the artistic director of a leading regional theatre in the production of a classic American musical.

PJ Benjamin (Ray) For 5 years he played the Wizard in Wicked both on Broadway and nationally. For 6 years, he was Mr. Cellophane on Broadway in Chicago. Other Broadway: Pippin, director Bob Fosse, The Pajama Game, director George Abbott; Sophisticated Ladies; Torch Song Trilogy; Charlie and Algernon; Wind in the Willows; Ain't Broadway Grand; Sarava and Old Joe in Damn Yankees at City Center He has appeared in "Law and Order," "Law and Order: SVU," "Person of Interest" and "The Good Wife."

Danielle Faitelson (Tess) was most recently seen playing Andy in the world premiere comedy Honky (by Greg Kalleres, directed by Luke Harlan) at Urban Stages, which will be remounted in the fall. Other recent credits include Queen Elizabeth in Facing Page Production's Richard III at the 4th St Theatre, a featured role in the reading of Jason Robert Brown's Honeymoon in Vegas, Ursula in Much Ado about Nothing at CSC (Young Company), and Cordelia in several readings of Nagle Jackson's Taking Leave. MFA Acting, Columbia University.

Robert Emmet Lunney (Buzz) Broadway: Born Yesterday, Mauritius, The Graduate, Dancing at Lughnasa. Off-Broadway: Victory, Gary the Thief (World Premiere), The Europeans, Grace, The Breadwinner, The Dying Gaul. Regional: To Kill a Mockingbird (Ford's), An American Daughter (Long Wharf), The Homecoming (Olney). Film and television: Julie & Julia, "Boardwalk Empire" (Season 4), "The Good Wife," "Lipstick Jungle," "Law & Order." Writing: For Nina, An Occurrence at Yankee Stadium, Cannon Beach, When You Wake (screenplay). Co-Director of the Barker Project.

Patricia Richardson (Jane) joined Actor's Equity 39 years ago with Gypsy. She created parts on and off-Broadway in plays by Beth Henley, Kevin Wade, and others. Most recent: World Premiere of Alfred Uhry's Apple and Oranges directed by Lynne Meadow at the Alliance. TV: "Home Improvement" (4 Emmy Nominations, 2 Golden Globe Nominations), "Strong Medicine," " The West Wing" (recurring). Film: Ulee's Gold (Independent Spririt Award Nomination), Beautiful Wave, Avarice, Blonde, Dead Simple. Thanks to Joe, Henry, and Roxie!