Michael Morris (Slag Heap) directs the New York premiere of the work which debuted at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in August 2004. The play began at 59E59 Theaters July 26 and opened Aug. 18 for a run originally slated through Sept. 18.
Matthew Mabe (The Iceman Cometh, Cobb, Corpus Christi) will join the cast Oct. 4 to replace R.E. Rodgers. Don Amendolia (Stepping Out) previously replaced original star Nathan Lane in the current run.
Marian Seldes stars in the new work which also includes Alison Fraser (Tartuffe, The Secret Garden), Michael Countryman (The Stendahl Syndrome at Primary Stages), Miriam Shor (Book of Days, Hedwig and the Angry Inch) and original WTF cast members R.E. Rodgers (Terrorism, "Oz") and Darren Pettie (Hobson's Choice, Unwrap Your Candy).
Terrence McNally's Dedication, as the scribe told Playbill.com, is "about a couple (Lane and Fraser) who live in upstate New York. On the weekends, they run, manage and produce a small children's theatre which does things like Puss in Boots and Alice and Wonderland. They are given an opportunity to take over an old abandoned, decaying theatre which was once on the vaudeville circuit. And these people become candidates." He added that the play is about "what price they're willing to pay to have their own theatre."
Seldes — who plays the acid-tongued wealthy socialite Annabelle Willard — won a Tony Award for her turn in Albee's A Delicate Balance. Last seen on the New York stage in Beckett/Albee, her Broadway credits include Equus, Ivanov, 45 Seconds From Broadway, Father's Day, Deathtrap, Ring Round the Moon and Dinner at Eight — she was Tony-nominated for the last four. The design team for Dedication or The Stuff of Dreams features Narelle Sissons (scenic), Laura Crow (costumes), Jeff Croiter (lighting) and Lindsay Jones (sound). Emily N. Wells will serve as production stage manager.
Tickets and subscriptions to Primary Stages' shows at the 59E59 Theaters, at 59 East 59th Street (between Park and Madison Ave.), can be purchased by calling (212) 279 4200 or at the box office. For more information, visit www.primarystages.com.
