Geffen Playhouse producing director Gilbert Cates stages the work to begin Nov. 8 and open Nov. 16 for a run though Dec. 18 anointing the newly renovated Geffen Playhouse.
Mudge makes her Los Angeles debut as Maggie in the work opposite Goodman as Big Daddy, Fricker as Big Mama and Davidson as Brick. The ensemble also features Zoe Photenhauer, Kirsten Potter, Matthew Glave, Sonya Eddy, William Dennis Hunt, Gibby Brand, Amanda Sue Walker, Aiden Lafraniere and Chaz Salazar.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning play concerns a former football hero (Brick) drowning in his grief after losing his best friend, while his desirous wife (Maggie) longs to produce an heir to the family fortune in danger of going to his older, fruitful brother as their ailing father's condition worsens.
Goodman, known to television audiences for his role on "Roseanne," starred on Broadway in Loose Ends and Big River. His film credits include "The Big Easy," "Born Yesterday," "The Flinstones," "The Big Lebowski" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and voicework on "Monsters, Inc." and "Father of the Pride."
Actress Mudge just played in Craig Wright's The Pavilion at the Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre and recently completed work on the film "Drifting Elegant" by Stephen Belber. She has also performed Off-Broadway in Terrence McNally's The Stendahl Syndrome and was understudy to the female roles on the Broadway revival of Craig Lucas' Reckless. Fricker earned acclaim for her role in the 1989 film "My Left Foot." Other film credits include "Home Alone 2," "So I Married an Axe Murderer," "Moll Flanders," "A Time to Kill" and "Veronica Guerin."
Davidson previously played Brick in the Kennedy Center's production opposite Mary Stuart Masterson. The actor is known for guest turns on TV shows such as "Boston Legal," "The Practice," "Jag," "Ally McBeal" and "Strangers With Candy."
The design team features John Arnone (scenic), Daniel Ionazzi (lighting), Robert Blackman (costume) and Jon Gottlieb (sound). Paul Wagar serves as dialect/vocal coach and Bo Foxworth provides fight choreography. Anna Belle Gilbert is production stage manager with Stacey Wilson as assistant stage manager.
Geffen recently performed in residence at the Brentwood Theatre during an 18 month, $17 million renovation to their historic home. The newly-opened Geffen home also includes the addition of a new 117-seat space, the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater.
The season will continue with My Buddy Bill (Nov. 12-Dec. 18), David Mamet's Boston Marriage (Jan. 31-March 12, 2006), Arthur Miller's All My Sons (April 11-May 21, 2006) and Sam Shepard's The God of Hell (June 20-July 30, 2006).
Tickets to Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Geffen Playhouse, at 10886 Le Conte Avenue in Westwood, CA are available by calling (310) 208-5454 or online at www.geffenplayhouse.com.
