Long Day's Journey Into Night Starts Aug 13 at Artists Rep in Portland

Artists Repertory Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company bring the world-class production of Long Day's Journey Into Night to Portland, Oregon beginning August 13, 2010. The stellar reviews from the smash hit premiere run in Sydney, Australia are now available.

Long Day's Journey Into Night is considered Eugene O'Neill's masterpiece play and is a largely autobiographical work of gut-wrenching honesty. Over the course of one fateful day, the Tyrone family (three alcoholics and one morphine addict) sling barbs and reopen old wounds in their seaside Connecticut vacation home. With heartbreaking humor, the loving yet dysfunctional family battle to unearth and conceal a series of appalling truths to explosive effect. The emotional complexity of this family - gripped with addiction, haunted by the past and paralyzed by the future - delivers staggering insight on the themes of familial resentment, enabling, forgiveness and the bond of abiding love.

The cast of Long Day's Journey Into Night is appearing with the permission of Actor's Equity Association and the Media, Entertainment, and Arts Alliance pursuant to an exchange program between the two unions.

The 2010/11 Artists Repertory Theatre season is presented by U.S. Bank. The 2010/11 radio sponsor is KINK.FM. Season Hotel Sponsors are Hotel deLuxe and Mark Spencer Hotel. Long Day's Journey Into Night is supported by the Oregon Arts Commission, the Regional Arts & Culture Council, Paul G. Allen Foundation. Individual producers are Ronni Lacroute, Lynn & Jack Loacker, and Wayne & Sandy Ericksen. Media Sponsors for Long Day's Journey Into Night are The Oregonian, Oregon Public Broadcasting, All Classical 89.9 and OregonLive.

Long Day's Journey Into Night
By Eugene O'Neill

Director: Andrew Upton
Set Design: Michael Scott-Mitchell
Costume Design: Tess Schofield
Lighting Design: Nick Schlieper
Sound Design: Max Lyandvert

With actors William Hurt, Luke Mullins, Robyn Nevin, Emily Russell and Todd Van Voris.

THE DIRECTOR
Andrew Upton is currently the Co-Artistic Director and Co-CEO of the Sydney Theatre Company (STC), with Cate Blanchett.

In 2006, Upton made his directorial debut for STC with his translation of Dissident, Goes Without Saying for Wharf 2Loud. He went on direct David Mamet's Reunion for STC later that year followed by Ruby Moon by Matt Cameron and in 2009, he directed part two of The Mysteries by Lally Katz and Hilary Bell. In 2010, he directs William Hurt and Robyn Nevin in Eugene O'Neill's Long Days Journey Into Night as part of STC's Main Stage season.

Uptons's most recent adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov's The White Guard is currently being presented to great acclaim at the National Theatre London where the extended run is completely sold out. His adaptation of Maxim Gorky's Philistines also received great critical acclaim at the National in 2007. His original play, Riflemind, directed by Phillip Seymour Hoffman and starring Hugo Weaving, was staged as part of STC's 2007 season. Riflemind also had a London season for The Ambassador Theatre Group in late 2008.

Upton's first adaptation for STC was Cyrano de Bergerac which debuted in 1999 and was reprised at the Melbourne Theatre Company, starring David Wenham, in 2005. Upton's adaptation of Don Juan was produced by STC in 2001. His third major adaptation, Hedda Gabler, was staged by the STC in 2004 and toured to New York for an exclusive season at the Brooklyn Academy Of Music in early 2006. His adaptation of The Cherry Orchard was directed by Howard Davies for the STC in 2005. Upton's original play Hanging Man was staged by the STC in its 2002 season.

In late 2007, Upton adapted the Luigi Pirandello play Right You Are (If You Think You Are), which was staged by Francesco Vezzoli at the Guggenheim Museum in New York for a one off performance. In 2008 he wrote the libretto to Alan John's opera Through the Looking Glass (Malthouse Theatre & Victorian Opera) which won best New Operatic Work at the 2008 Green Room Awards.

THE CAST
William Hurt (James Tyrone) has appeared on stage with Artists Rep twice in the past, during the 2003/04 season in Drawer Boy and again during the 2006/07 season in Vanya. Hurt played the role of Edmund, the youngest son, in Oregon Shakespeare Festival's 1975 production of Long Day's Journey Into Night. Though his roots are on stage, Hurt is best known for his numerous film roles. He won the Academy Award for his role in 1985's Kiss of the Spider Woman and was also nominated for Children of a Lesser God, Broadcast News, and A History of Violence. He recently released the much-anticipated film, The Yellow Handkerchief. He has also been featured in Into the Wild and Vantage Point. Hurt will next be seen in Ridley Scott's Robin Hood film with Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett.

Robyn Nevin (Mary Cavan Tyrone) is one of the most respected figures in Australian theater. She served as Artistic Director of Sydney Theatre Company for eight years, has dozens of credits with many Australian theater companies as both actor and director, and was made a Member of the Order of Australia for Services to the Performing Arts in 1981. Ms. Nevin's awards include: Australian Creative Artists' Fellowship, Green Room Award for Best Actress for August: Osage County, Helpmann Award for Best Actress for The Women of Troy, Sydney Critics' Circle Award for Best Actress for Diving For Pearls, Sydney Critics' Circle Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Theatre, Sidney Myer Performing Arts Award, Logie, Penguin and Sammy Awards for Best Actress for Water Under the Bridge, 1995 Matilda Award for Contribution to Queensland Theatre. Her film credits include The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, The Castle, Emerald City, Careful He Might Hear You. Television credits include The Dismissal, A Toast to Melba, Water Under the Bridge, Halifax f.p.

Todd Van Voris (James "Jamie" Tyrone, Jr.) is a resident company member at Artists Rep and has appeared as Iago in Othello, Otto Sylvus in Design for Living, Joe Foster in Becky's New Car and Nicholas/Grandma in Holidazed, and in past seasons as The Nasty Interesting Man in Eurydice, Ivan in The Seafarer, Andrey in Three Sisters, Giles Mace in House and Garden, Orson Welles in Orson's Shadow, Larry in Inspecting Carol, Trigorin in The Seagull, Felix in Humble Boy. Van Voris has also worked in Portland at Imago Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Lakewood Theatre, Profile Theatre, Theatre Vertigo, Quintessence, and Backstage Theatre (Breckenridge, CO), H.E.R.E. and at the Ontological/Hysteric Theatre (NYC). Van Voris attended NYU where he studied acting at Playwrights Horizons Theatre School.

Luke Mullins (Edmund Tyrone) was a member of Sydney Theatre Company's resident Acting Company from 2007-2009. He has received the George Fairfax Memorial Award. His credits with STC include The War of the Roses, Gallipoli, The Serpent's Teeth, Tales From The Vienna Woods, The Season at Sarsaparilla. He has extensive stage credits appearing in productions for Melbourne Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre, Stuck Pigs Squealing, Little Death/ Theatreworks/Griffin Stablemates, Theatreworks/God Be in My Mouth: Grace, Liminal, Victorian Trades Hall, Uncle Semolina and Friends, Original Voices, Wrecked all Prods. He has also worked in film and TV.

Emily Russell (Cathleen) was a member of the STC Actors Company and has performed in The War of the Roses, Gallipoli, The Serpent's Teeth, Tales From The Vienna Woods, The Season at Sarsaparilla, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Art of War. Her credits also include work with Bell Shakespeare Company, Theatre of Image and Picture This Productions as well and film and television roles.

Photo Credit: Brett Boardman

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