Bartlett Sher (Broadway's The Light in the Piazza, Awake and Sing!) directs the drama, which was commissioned by Long Wharf Theatre during the 2005-06 season.

The world premiere is co-produced with Seattle’s Intiman Theatre, where Sher is artistic director. Intiman staged the play starting July 27 (the run ends there Aug. 26). New for the East Coast run will be Julie Boyd and Katie Rose Clarke, joining members of the Seattle cast, including James McMenamin, John Proccacino, Cynthia Lauren Tewes and Daniel Zaitchik.

Opening is Sept. 26.

According to Long Wharf, "Playwright Craig Lucas has long taken on some of the most important social issues of contemporary culture in such works as Singing Forest, The Dying Gaul and the landmark film 'Longtime Companion.' Prayer For My Enemy tells the story of a young American soldier who comes home from the war in Iraq to find his best friend — and first love — in a relationship with his sister and his parents struggling to repair a relationship strained by alcohol and atrophy. While recovering from a terrible head wound, the soldier strains to reunite with his family. An encounter with a troubled woman named Dolores [played by Julie Boyd] shifts the family dynamic in a way none of them could imagine."

"Craig is, without question, one of America's very best living playwrights and it is a thrill to be presenting his new work at Long Wharf Theatre," artistic director Gordon Edelstein said in a statement. "Craig writes about what it’s like to be alive at the moment. Craig reflects his moment better than any other writer I know. Craig is totally engaged with living." Actress Cynthia Lauren Tewes had a high-profile TV career in the 1970s and '80s and Julie the cruise director on "The Love Boat." She is now returning to the theatre "after a four-year self-imposed hiatus to attend culinary school and to study cheese." She started acting in Los Angeles more than 30 years ago and was most recently seen at Seattle Rep in Katie Forgette's play The O'Connor Girls.

Julie Boyd most recently appeared in Emily Mann's Mrs. Packard.

Katie Rose Clarke made her Broadway debut in the role of Clara Johnson at Lincoln Center Theatre production The Light in the Piazza, and toured with it.

James McMenamin recently appeared Off-Broadway in The Naked Angels Issues Project, and appeared in BFE (Playwrights Horizon), among other works.

John Procaccino just completed the national tour of The Light in the Piazza, in which he played Roy Johnson. In recent seasons, he appeared with Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson in the premiere of Anne Meara's Down the Garden Paths, A Moon For the Misbegotten and We Won't Pay! We Won't Pay!, all at Long Wharf Theatre.

Daniel Zaitchik has appeared in productions in New York at the Cherry Lane Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Playwrights Horizons and The Public Theater, among others.

The creative team includes John McDermott (scenic designer), Catherine Zuber (costume designer), Stephen Strawbridge (lighting designer), Stephen LeGrand (sound designer), James Calleri, CSA (New York casting), Lisa Ann Chernoff (stage manager).

Curtain times for A Prayer for My Enemy are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7 PM, Thursdays and Fridays at 8 PM, Saturdays at 3 PM and 8 PM, and Sundays at 2 PM and 7 PM.

Long Wharf Theatre's Stage II is at 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven. For more information, call (203) 787-4282 or visit www.longwharf.org.

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Both Intiman and Long Wharf received the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre.