Anne Kaufman (daughter of George S. Kaufman) and Christopher Hart (son of Moss Hart) attended the first rehearsal of THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER this past Monday, October 24th. The classic comedy by Moss Hart & George S. Kaufman is making its Off-Broadway debut this holiday season, presented by the award-winning Peccadillo Theater Company. THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER will star Jim Brochu as SheriDan Whiteside, with Tony Award-winner Cady Huffman as Lorraine Sheldon. Performances begin November 25th with the Opening set for December 4th at Theatre at St. Clement's, 423 West 46th Street (between Ninth & Tenth Aves.)
The 28-member cast of THE MAN WHO CAME THE DINNER will also feature
Joseph R. Sicari,
Amy Landon,
Ira Denmark,
Scott Evans,
Thursday Farrar,
Kevin Fugaro,
Jenna Gavigan,
Kristin Griffith,
Susan Jeffries,
Kristine Nevins,
John Seidman,
Carolyn Seiff,
Jay Stratton, Tony Triano,
Reggie Whitehead, and
John Windsor-Cunningham.
THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER opened at the Music Box Theatre on October 16, 1939 and ran for 739 performances. In the hilarious comedy satire, celebrated critic and radio personality Sheri
Dan Whiteside slips on an icy doorstep while on a December lecture tour. Confined for several weeks of recovery at the Midwestern home of the utterly conventional Mr. and Mrs. Stanley, he proceeds to turn the family's life inside out with his incessant demands, long-distance phone calls and parade of eccentric celebrity guests. As Whiteside's secretary Maggie says, "He would see his mother burned at the stake if that was the only way he could light his cigarette!"
Jim Brochu received the 2010 Drama Desk Award for Best Solo Performance for his portrayal of the legendary
Zero Mostel in Zero Hour. Since its premiere in 2006, he has been touring the country with the show, garnering both unanimous critical raves and major theatrical honors. In addition to the Drama Desk,
Jim Brochu won the Ovation Award in Los Angeles (Best Play), the Carbonell Award of South Florida (Best Actor) and the Helen Hayes Award in Washington, DC (Best Actor). A native of Brooklyn, he made his Broadway debut as Christopher Sly in The Taming of the Shrew. He is the author of ten plays including the hit Off-Broadway musical The Last Session written with partner
Steve Schalchlin, which he also directed. His caricature hangs on the wall of the legendary Sardi's Restaurant, a tribute to a 40-plus year show business career as an actor and playwright.
Cady Huffman is a Tony Award winner for her performance as Ulla in The Producers and her other Broadway credits include The
Will Rogers Follies (Tony nomination), La Cage aux Folles,
Bob Fosse's Big Deal, and
Dame Edna: The Royal Tour. Her films include The Company Men, Romance & Cigarettes, Hero, The Nanny Diaries and Dare. Cady is a regular judge on the Food Network's "Iron Chef America," having been described by host Alton Brown as the "Kitty
Carlisle Hart of Kitchen Stadium." Other TV appearances include "The Good Wife," "Frasier," "Mad About You," and "Curb Your Enthusiasm."
Led by Obie Award-winning director,
Dan Wackerman, the creative team includes scenic design by
Harry Feiner, costume design by Amy Pedigo-Otto and lighting design by Jimmy Lawlor.
Founded in 1994, The
Peccadillo Theater Company is a not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to the rediscovery of classic American theater, particularly those works which, despite their obvious literary and theatrical value, are not regularly revived. Peccadillo's most recent production was its critically acclaimed revival of the
George Abbott/
Arthur Schwartz/
Dorothy Fields musical A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER will play a limited engagement through December 18th and the performance schedule is Tuesdays & Wednesdays at 7 pm, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm, with matinees Saturday at 2 pm and Sunday at 3 pm. Tickets are $25 and are available by calling 212-352-3101 or through
www.ThePeccadillo.com.
Photo credit: Steve Schalchlin
Anne Kaufman, Jim Brochu, Christopher Hart
