DREAM OF PERFECT SLEEP to Begin 17 June at Finborough Theatre

Dream of Perfect Sleep, a multi-award winning new play by acclaimed American playwright Kevin Kautzman in his full length UK debut will receive its world premiere at the Finborough Theatre for a four week run from Tuesday, 17 June 2014 (Press Night: Thursday 19 June 2014 at 7.30pm).

Dream of Perfect Sleep is the story of an aging couple, Mary and Gene, and their adult children - recovering-addict Robert and new-ager Melissa. Mary suffers from severe vertigo and just wants to watch her TV show. Gene's busy organizing a very special holiday dinner, but party planning isn't exactly his strong suit. When the estranged kids come home for the holidays, Gene reveals some unexpected news that threatens to destroy the family's already strained bonds...

A funny, heartwarming and powerful story of hope and loss in the face of dementia and terminal illness as an elderly couple plan their last days on earth.

Winner of both the Kernodle New Play and Southwestern Playwriting Awards, Dream of Perfect Sleep receives its world premiere at the Finborough Theatre. It was originally conceived at the University of Texas at Austin with the support of a fellowship from the Michener Center for Writers. It has received developmental workshops and readings around the United States including in New York City this April, and with American Actors UK at the Tristan Bates Theatre, London.

Playwright Kevin Kautzman is originally from North Dakota, an alumnus of the University of Minnesota and also holds an MFA from the University of Texas at Austin. His full-length plays include Coyote (Nouveau 47, Dallas), If You Start A Fire [Be Prepared To Burn] (45th Street Theatre, New York), Iris (Red Eye, Minneapolis), Wolf Cry Wolf (The New Theatre Project, Ypsilanti), Life Electric, Then Waves and Vasilisa Most Lovely. His short plays include Clifton Mill (Nouveau 47), The Play is Memory, Rosemary (History Theatre), Strike, Solomon the King, and most recently $<0RP!0. His honours include the Jerome and Michener fellowships, the Tennessee Williams and Kenyon Institute scholarships, the Kernodle New Play, International Student Playscript Competition, Repertory Theatre Iowa's Alpha Project and Southwest Playwriting awards. He has received commissions from History Theatre and Red Eye, and his work has been performed and developed around the UK and US.

Director Max Pappenheim returns to the Finborough Theatre where he was Resident Assistant Director and directed Nothing is the End of the World (Except for the End of the World) (2013), Perchance to Dream (2011) and Avow as part of Vibrant 2013 - A Festival of Finborough Playwrights. Directing includes San Giuda (Southwark Cathedral), The Charmed Life (King's Head Theatre), Finchley Road (LOST Theatre), Siegfried (Fulham Opera) and Quid Pro Quo (Riverside Studios). Max was nominated for an OffWestEnd Award for Best Sound Design in 2012 and Best Director in 2013.

The cast:

Lisa Caruccio Came | Mellissa
Productions at the Finborough Theatre include Saturn Returns and Nothing is the End of the World (Except for the End of the World).
Trained at Tisch School of The Arts, New York.
Theatre includes Secret Cinema Presents The Grand Budapest Hotel (Secret Cinema), A Thousand Miles of History (The Bussey Building), Rocket To The Moon (National Theatre), The Fever Chart (Trafalgar Studios and Theatre Royal York), The Six Wives of Timothy Leary (Riverside Studios and Pleasance Edinburgh), Richard III (The Drill Hall and Tour), The Woodsman (Old Red Lion Theatre), The Dybbuk (King's Head Theatre), Time of The Tortoise (Theatre503), Oleanna (Mountview Directors' Showcase) and Camel Station (Theatre Museum and National Tour).
Theatre in New York includes A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Winter's Tale (Lion Theatre, Theatre Row) and The Tempest (Looking Glass Theatre).
Film includes Mnemophrenia, Sprawlers, and That Samba Thing.
Radio includes Seeing In The Dark and The Hamam Bride.

Cory English | Robert
Theatre includes Urinetown (St. James Theatre), Somewhere in Time (Portland Centre Stage), Chicago (Ambassador Theatre, Broadway), Young Frankenstein (Foxwoods Theatre, Broadway and National Tour), The Producers (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and National Tour), Our Father, The Comedy of Errors, Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (St. James Theatre, Broadway), Hello Dolly (Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Broadway), Damn Yankees (Marquis Theatre, Broadway), Guys and Dolls (Nederlander Theatre, Broadway and Donmar Warehouse) and Gypsy (St James Theatre, Broadway).
Film includes Mountainaire.
Television includes Oz, Britains Got The Pop Factor.

Susan Tracy | Mary
Productions at the Finborough Theatre include Variation On A Theme.
Susan has been twice nominated for an Olivier Award.
Theatre includes Terence Rattigan's Nijinsky, The Deep Blue Sea, Playhouse Creatures (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Relapse, Three Sisters, Anna Christie, Merry Wives of Windsor, Othello (Royal Shakespeare Company), Much Ado About Nothing (Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park), Long Day's Journey into Night (Cambridge Theatre Company), The Old Wives Tale (New Vic Theatre, Stoke on Trent), Denial (Bristol Old Vic), Anything Goes (National Theatre and Theatre Royal Drury Lane), A Passage to India (Shared Experience, National Tour and BAM in New York), Richard II, Inherit the Wind (The Old Vic) and A Chorus of Disapproval (Harold Pinter Theatre).
Television includes Midsomer Murders, The Stars Look Down, Born and Bred, The Diary of Anne Frank and Poirot.

Martin Wimbush | Gene
Productions at the Finborough Theatre include The Potting Shed and Outward Bound.
Trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Theatre includes Outside Edge, The Mystery Of Edwin Drood, City Of Angels, The Importance Of Being Earnest (West End), Lady In The Van (Hull Truck Theatre and National Tour), Wellington (Barn Theatre Smallhythe), Humble Boy (National Tour), The Shell Seekers (National Tour), The Beastly Chronicles Of Saki (Jermyn Street Theatre), Svejk (Gate Theatre), Me And My Girl (Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham), Charley's Aunt (Northcott Theatre, Exeter) and Hot Property (Old Red Lion Theatre). His one man show Wellington continues to tour.
Film includes The Iron Lady, Anna Karenina, Scar Tissue, Orlando, Gangster No1, Bridget Jones's Diary, Shadowlands, Wimbledon, Mean Machine, Ali G Inda House and The Old Curiosity Shop.
Television includes The Thirteenth Tale, Hustle, EastEnders, Garrow's Law, Hiroshima, Cape Wrath, The Lost Prince, Victoria and Albert, Micawber, Mystery Of Men, Vanity Fair, A Dance To The Music Of Time, Holding On, The Alleyn Mysteries, Natural Lies, Countess Alice, Lovejoy, Boon, Coronation Street, Glittering Prizes and Upstairs Downstairs.

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