Resonance Ensemble artistic director Eric Parness stages the work which will benefit his company's upcoming season. The benefit show will perform March 27 at 7:30 PM following a 6 PM reception and a performance.

Joining Abraham in the cast will be Tony Award nominee John Cariani (Fiddler on the Roof), Deborah S. Craig (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Kelly Aucoin (Julius Caesar), Jennifer Mudge (The Stendhal Syndrome) and Matthew Cowles ("All My Children"). More casting to be announced.

In the new Molière-inspired comedy, Mee spins a tale of an older man (Abraham) who acquires a young Asian bride (Craig) to the outrage of his family and friends. In the scribe's own description, he quips "They ask him: does he think he can just buy a bride? And he asks them: do they think it would be better if he were just to rent one?"

Abraham earned his Oscar for his turn in the movie version of Peter Shaffer's "Amadeus" as composer Antonio Salieri. He most recently appeared in the Off Broadway run of Trumbo, the Madison Square Garden A Christmas Carol and Encores! presentation of New Moon. His other stage credits include Triumph of Love, A Month in the Country, Angels in America, King Lear and The Fantasticks. He is expected to star

Playwright Mee's works include Fetes de la Nuit, A Perfect Wedding, True Love, First Love, Big Love, Snow in June, Vienna: Lusthaus, Summertime and Wintertime. The pen urges adaptations or reworkings of all his texts (located in full on his website at www.charlesmee.org) as part of his "the (re)making project" — based on the theory that "There is no such thing as an original play." Tickets for the Resonance Ensemble's The Mail Order Bride at Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street, are $80 ($70 of which is tax-deductible) and available online at www.ResonanceEnsemble.org. For more information, call (646) 263-6673.