The "two unrelated plays" will be seen at the California venue through June 8 with an official opening May 18. Neil Pepe directs. Duck Variations features Harold Gould and Michael Lerner. The Keep Your Pantheon cast comprises Jeffrey Addiss, Michael Cassidy, Steven Goldstein, Vincent Guastaferro, Dominic Hoffman, J.J. Johnston, Rod McLachlan, Ed O'Neill, David Paymer, Jonathan Rossetti and Jack Wallace.
Duck Variations, which was written in the early 1970s, depicts "conversations between two elderly men who are sitting on a park bench and watching ducks. Their observations about the ducks, whether factual or incorrect, create a beautiful fugue on the human condition – on family and friendship, the possibility of happiness and on death," according to press notes.
Keep Your Pantheon is set in ancient Rome "where an impoverished acting company on the edge of eviction is offered a lucrative engagement and life is finally on the upswing. But through a series of riotous mishaps, the troupe finds its problems have actually multiplied, and that they are about to learn a new meaning for the term 'dying on stage.'"
The design team includes set designer Takeshi Kata, costume designer Ilona Somogyi, lighting designer Christopher Akerlind and sound designer Cricket S. Myers.
Pulitzer Prize and Tony-winning playwright David Mamet is currently reprsented on Broadway with the new political comedy November.
The Kirk Douglas Theatre is located at 9820 Washington Blvd. in Culver City, CA. Tickets are on sale now by calling (213) 628-2772 or by visiting www.CenterTheatreGroup.org.
