Jennifer Ferrin, Carlo Alban and More to Star in The Old Globe's BETHANY; Cast & Creative Team Announced!

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for the West Coast premiere of Laura Marks's powerful new play Bethany. Directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, Bethany will run Jan. 25 - Feb. 23, 2014 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run Jan. 25 - Jan. 29. Opening night is Thursday, Jan. 30 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE, or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

In Bethany, Crystal and Gary live in a nice home in the suburbs. Only it's not theirs. In fact, they didn't know each other before they moved in, and the story of how they got there is the beginning of Crystal's plan to get her life back on track. Between her job at the Saturn dealership, her new housemate's conspiracy theories, and the motivational speaker who just might buy that sports car, this new drama will take you on the ride of your life, with a woman willing to take on anything and everything...all for someone named Bethany.

"Bethany continues the Globe's commitment to bringing the most exciting new voices in the American theater to San Diego," said Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. "Laura Marks's new drama tells the story of an extraordinary woman who goes to great lengths to keep her family whole, and in Gaye Taylor Upchurch's humane and skilfull production, it's a powerful evening that I'm very proud to present."

Jennifer Ferrin makes her Globe debut as Crystal. Ferrin currently stars as Louise Ellison on AMC's hit Wild West drama "Hell on Wheels" and is a two-time Emmy Award nominee for her recurring role on "As the World Turns." Among her extensive theater, film, and television credits, Ferrin was part of the original Broadway cast of the smash comedy The 39 Steps.

The cast of Bethany also features Carlo Albán (Gary), DeAnna Driscoll (Shannon), Amanda Naughton (Patricia), James Shanklin (Charlie), and Sylvia M'Lafi Thompson (Toni).

The creative team includes Lauren Helpern (Scenic Design), Sarah J. Holden (Costume Design), Japhy Weideman (Lighting Design), Leon Rothenberg (Original Music and Sound Design), J. David Brimmer (Fight Director), Caparelliotis Casting (Casting), and Diana Moser (Stage Manager).

On Monday, Feb. 3 at 6:00 p.m., the Globe will present a special forum discussion, "At Home in San Diego? The Question of Affordable Housing," that will explore some of the issues raised in Bethany as they pertain to San Diego County. Panelists Todd Gloria, Interim Mayor of the City of San Diego, and Susan Riggs, Executive Director of the San Diego Housing Federation, will discuss housing affordability and affordable housing, and how the issue of housing has impacted the community of San Diego on all levels, from homelessness to the housing market. Richard C. Gentry, President and Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego Housing Commission, will moderate. Although the event is free, reservations are required. Reservations can be made by emailing RSVP@TheOldGlobe.org.

Edelstein said, "Laura Marks's Bethany uses the theater to examine an important national issue: the crisis in affordable housing. We're thrilled to host a special forum on that topic in conjunction with the show, and we're honored to welcome Interim Mayor Todd Gloria and other leaders on the housing issue to the Globe to help our audience learn more, and to better serve our community through our art."

Playwright Laura Marks is the author of Bethany, which premiered Off Broadway at New York City Center Stage II, produced by the Women's Project, and was directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch. Bethany was nominated for the 2013 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play, won the Leah Ryan Prize for Emerging Women Writers, was a Susan Smith Blackburn Prize finalist, was published in Methuen's American Next Wave anthology in the U.K., and was chosen by John Guare as runner-up for Yale University's David C. Horn Prize. Her other plays include Mine, produced last year in Chicago by The Gift Theatre Company, and Gather at the River, recently workshopped at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. Her other honors include a 2012 Helen Merrill Playwriting Award, a 2013 Lilly Award, a 2013 award from the Fellowship of Southern Writers, two Lecomte du Noüy Prizes, and a two-year residency in The Public Theater's Emerging Writers Group. Her plays have been developed at The Public Theater, The Juilliard School, Women's Project, LCT3, The Black Dahlia Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Royal Exchange Theatre, HighTide Festival Theatre, The Wilma Theater, LArk Theatre Company, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Partial Comfort Productions, Prospect Theater Company, and more.

Director Gaye Taylor Upchurch has directed the Off Broadway productions of Laura Marks's Bethany (Women's Project, Lortel Award nomination for Outstanding Play), Lucy Thurber's Stay (Rattlestick Playwrights Theater), and Simon Stephens' Harper Regan and Bluebird with Simon Russell Beale (Atlantic Theater Company). Her work has been seen at Culture Project, La Mama, and Lincoln Center Institute, among others, and she has developed new work at New Dramatists, New York Stage and Film, The Kennedy Center, Playwrights' Center, Lincoln Center Theater's Directors Lab, and SPACE on Ryder Farm. She worked with Sam Mendes as associate director on The Bridge Project's productions of The Cherry Orchard, The Winter's Tale, The Tempest, and As You Like It (Brooklyn Academy Of Music, The Old Vic, International Tour).

TICKETS to Bethany can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE, or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park. Performances begin on Jan. 25 and continue through Feb. 23. Ticket prices start at $29. Performance times: Previews: Saturday, Jan. 25 at 8:00 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 26 at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 7:00 p.m. and Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 7:00 p.m. Regular Performances: Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday evenings at 7:00 p.m. There is a 2:00 p.m. matinee on Wednesday, Feb. 12 and no matinee performance on Saturday, Feb. 15. Discounts are available for full-time students, patrons 29 years of age and under, seniors and groups of 10 or more.

Additional events taking place during the run of Bethany include:

INSIGHTS SEMINAR: Bethany

Monday, Jan. 27 at 7:00 p.m. FREE

Insights Seminars are informal presentations of ideas and insights to enhance the theatergoing experience. The seminars feature a panel selected from the artistic company of each production and take place in the theater where the production is performed. Reception, 6:30 p.m. Seminar, 7:00 p.m. Admission is free and reservations are not required.

POST-SHOW FORUMS: Bethany

Tuesdays, Feb. 4 and 11 and Wednesday, Feb. 19. FREE

Discuss the play with members of the Bethany cast and crew at post-show discussions led by the Globe's creative staff after the performances.

SUBJECT MATTERS: Bethany

Wednesday, Feb. 12. FREE

Following the performance, explore the ideas and issues raised by a production through brief, illuminating post-show discussions with local experts, such as scientists, artists, historians and scholars.

The Old Globe is located in San Diego's Balboa Park at 1363 Old Globe Way. There are numerous free parking lots available throughout the park. Valet parking is also available ($10). For additional parking information visit www.BalboaPark.org.

The Tony Award-winning Old Globe is one of the country's leading professional regional theaters and has stood as San Diego's flagship arts institution for over 75 years. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barry Edelstein and Managing Director Michael G. Murphy, The Old Globe produces a year-round season of 14 productions of classic, contemporary, and new works on its three Balboa Park stages: the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the 600-seat Old Globe Theatre and the 250-seat Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, both part of The Old Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, and the 605-seat outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, home of its internationally renowned Shakespeare Festival. More than 250,000 people attend Globe productions annually and participate in the theater's education and community programs. Numerous world premieres such as The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, A Catered Affair, and the annual holiday musical, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, have been developed at The Old Globe and have gone on to enjoy highly successful runs on Broadway and at regional theaters across the country.

CAST BIOS:

Carlo Albán (Gary) has appeared regionally in A Parallelogram (Center Theatre Group), Lydia (Denver Center Theatre Company, Yale Repertory Theatre, CTG), Hurricane (Asolo Repertory Theatre), All About Us (Westport Country Playhouse), Dreamlandia (Dallas Theater Center), and The Night of the Iguana (Guthrie Theater). His New York credits include Intríngulis, a solo show he both wrote and performed, A Small Melodramatic Story, References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot, A Summer Day, Alice in Slasherland, Living Dead in Denmark, and Flipzoids. His television credits include "Law & Order," "Touched by an Angel," "Oz," Thicker Than Blood, "Prison Break," "Sesame Street," "Criminal Justice," and "Girls." He has appeared in the films Hurricane, Hi-Life, The Tavern, Strangers with Candy, Life Support, 21 Grams, Whip It, and Margaret. Albán is a member of LAByrinth Theater Company and a recipient of New Dramatists' Charles Bowden Actor Award.

DEANNA DRISCOLL (Shannon) returns to The Old Globe for Bethany. She has performed onstage in New York and regionally. Her theater credits include National Shakespeare Company Black Box, Cockpit Theater, Diversionary Theatre, MOXIE Theatre, ion theatre company, and San Diego Repertory Theatre. Some of her roles include Randy in Superior Donuts, Frankie in Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, Grace in Bus Stop, Haley in Bad Dates, Betty and Mrs. Saunders in Cloud 9, Eve Ensler in The Good Body, Old Woman in The Chairs, and Regan in King Lear. Her television and film credits include "Lincoln Heights," "Point Pleasant," "Veronica Mars," Decaf, and Nixon Baby.

Jennifer Ferrin (Crystal) currently plays Louise Ellison on AMC's Wild West drama "Hell on Wheels." She recently completed production on the Cinemax limited series "The Knick" alongside Clive Owen and directed by Steven Soderbergh. Her other television series include "The Following," "The Cape," "The Kill Point" with John Leguizamo, "Life on Mars" with Harvey Keitel, "3 lbs." with Stanley Tucci, as well as guest starring roles on "Person of Interest," "Elementary," "Royal Pains," "The Good Wife," "Unforgettable," "White Collar," "Nurse Jackie," and "Boardwalk Empire." In 2008, she made her Broadway debut as a member of the original four-person cast of Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps. She also appeared in Sex and the City 2.

Amanda Naughton (Patricia) has previously appeared at the Globe in A Doll's House, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Jane Austen's Emma - A Musical Romantic Comedy, Lost in Yonkers, The Women, The Constant Wife, Loves & Hours, and Paramour. Her Broadway credits include Into the Woods (2002 revival) and The Secret Garden (also the National Tour, Jefferson Award nominee). She has appeared Off Broadway in Romance in Hard Times, Hundreds of Hats, 3 Postcards, and Mr. President. Regionally she has been seen in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Chasing the Song (La Jolla Playhouse), A Little Night Music (Goodspeed Musicals, LA Opera, South Coast Repertory), Amour and O. Henry's Lovers (Goodspeed Musicals), On the Town (Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera), Gypsy, Tartuffe, The Waves, Misalliance, Bedroom Farce, and The Threepenny Opera (Hangar Theatre), Anything Goes, Hello, Dolly!, The Sound of Music, The Foreigner, Lend Me a Tenor, Steel Magnolias, and Barefoot in the Park (Forestburgh Playhouse), The Royal Family (Caldwell Theatre Company), The Betrayal of Nora Blake (Cuillo Centre For The Arts), Another Kind of Hero (Walnut Street Theatre), and Edith Stein (Geva Theatre). Her television credits include the role of BetTy Roberts on AMC's original series "Remember WENN," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Payne" with John Larroquette, and "Chappelle's Show." Her film credits include Mexico City and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

James Shanklin (Charlie) currently plays Aaron Hatch on the AMC television show "Hell on Wheels." In New York he has performed in several plays with The Public Theater including Everybody's Ruby with Viola Davis, As You Like It and Julius Caesar for the New York Shakespeare Festival in Central Park, and the original New York production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Wit. Shanklin has performed in regional theaters across the country including Yale Repertory Theatre, Guthrie Theater, Washington Shakespeare Company, Arena Stage, and Center Stage, among others. He has appeared in over 35 network television shows and 12 feature films including The Social Network, Moneyball, and Mission: Impossible III.

SYLVIA M'LAFI THOMPSON (Toni) is a Craig Noel Award winner who was most recently seen in Coronado in Lamb's Players Theatre's production of Mary Edson's Wit. Some of her other performances include the title role in Othello, Carrie Watts in The Trip to Bountiful, Teiresias in Antigone, Rose in Fences, Mama in A Raisin in the Sun, and Stage Manager in Our Town. Her other credits include Coming Attractions, Boom, The Vagina Monologues, Gibson Girls, The Haunting of Jim Crow, Intimate Apparel, Dog Act, Going to St. Ives, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, A Streetcar Named Desire, Boesman and Lena, The Gospel at Colonus, The Mousetrap, The Fabulous Miss Marie, Stories About the Old Days, Miss Witherspoon, and A Christmas Carol. Thompson is the recipient of Drama-Logue, Billie, San Diego Theatre Critics Circle, Patté and Beverly Hills/Hollywood NAACP Theatre Awards.

Pictured: Carlo Albán, DeAnna Driscoll, Amanda Naughton, James Shanklin, Jennifer Ferrin, Sylvia M'Lafi Thompson. Photo by Jim Cox.

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