The National Actors Theatre, which will now reside in Pace University's 655 seat Michael Schimmer Center for the Arts, has signed a LORT B (League of Resident Theatres) contract with Actors' Equity Association, Backstage reports.

The theatre company's new season, as previously reported, begins Oct. 3 with Al Pacino in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. Joining the former star of Broadway's The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel will be Gerry Bamman, Lothaire Bluteau, Sterling Brown, Steve Buscemi, Dominic Chianese, Billy Crudup, Charles Durning, Linda Emond, Tom Riis Farrell, Paul Giamatti, Michael Goldfinger, John Goodman, Jacqueline McKenzie, Chris McKinney, Ajay Naidu, Novella Nelson, Matte Osian, Chazz Palminteri, Tony Randall, Robert Stanton, John Ventimiglia and Jack Willis.

The limited engagement runs through Oct. 26 and will likely be followed by two other productions, the little-known Henrik Ibsen comedy The League of Youth and George Abbott and Philip Dunning's Broadway.

National Actors Theatre's association with Pace University, it seems, will benefit both organizations. Pace will provide the theatre company, headed by Tony Randall, with a rent-free home. In return, NAT will offer select Pace students internships in acting, production and administration. Qualified students may also be able to audition for parts in NAT productions later in the season.

—By Andrew Gans