Rehearsals Underway for HELLMAN v. McCARTHY with Dick Cavett, Roberta Maxwell & Marcia Rodd

Rehearsals began Tuesday, February 18 for the World Premiere of Brian Richard Mori's HELLMAN v. McCARTHY, starring Dick Cavett, Roberta Maxwell and Marcia Rodd. Previews begin March 14 in Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex's June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street). Off-Broadway performances run through April 13. Jan Buttram, Artistic Director of Abingdon Theatre Company, is set to direct the new play which alsofeatures Peter Brouwer, Rowan Michael Meyer and Jeff Woodman.

HELLMAN v. McCARTHY recounts the greatest literary feud in modern American history which began on January 25, 1980 when literary critic Mary McCarthy appeared as a guest on "The Dick Cavett Show" and declared that "every word [playwright Lillian Hellman] writes is a lie, including 'and' and 'the.'" Hellman went ballistic and sued McCarthy for libel, sparking a law suit that spanned more than four years.

Emmy Award-winner Dick Cavett ("The Dick Cavett Show," Into the Woods, The Rocky Horror Show) is set to portray himself, recreating his role in the historical events depicted in HELLMAN v. McCARTHY. Joining Mr. Cavett are Drama Desk and Obie Award-winner Roberta Maxwell (Equus, Ivanov, Brokeback Mountain) as Lillian Hellman and Tony Award-nominee Marcia Rodd (Shelter, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, "Trapper John, M.D.") as Mary McCarthy. Completing the cast are Peter Brouwer (Lost on the Natchez Trace, Bodega Bay), Rowan Michael Meyer (Flea's Benito Cereno, APAC's Blood Brothers), and Jeff Woodman (Cymbeline, A Pirate's Lullaby).

The design team includes set design by Andrew Lu, lighting design by Travis McHale, costume design by Tony Award-nominee Jane Greenwood, and sound design by Ian Wehrle. Production Stage Manager is Mark Hoffner.

HELLMAN v. McCARTHY runs March 14-April 13: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7pm; Fridays at 8pm; Saturdays at 2pm and 8pm; and Sundays at 2pm at Abingdon Theatre Company's June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). All tickets are $40. For tickets, call OvationTix at 866-811-4111 or visit www.abingdontheatre.org.

Photos by Kim T. Sharp

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