On Aug. 25 Rattlestick Playwrights Theater announced that Vladimir Versailles would join the cast, replacing Gregory Bastien as Haitian immigrant Abner Louima, and that the production would begin previews as scheduled, but had bumped its opening night by one evening to Sept. 9.
After losing technical rehearsals due to the weather and citywide shutdown of mass transit this past weekend, Rattlestick has announced that The Wood will now begin previews Sept. 1 and will officially open Off-Broadway Sept. 15. Performances will continue as scheduled through Oct. 9.
"Hurricane Irene couldn’t have come at a worse time – tech week," said Rattlestick artistic director David Van Asselt in a statement. "We had to suspend all activity at the theatre and see that the cast and crew got home safely. The time we lost in the theatre over the weekend has put us behind schedule. However, we are back and are looking forward to presenting Dan's moving new work."
David Bar Katz directs the world premiere of Klores' play about McAlary, the former Daily News and New York Post columnist who earned a Pulitzer Prize for his exposé of the New York police torture of Haitian immigrant Louima in 1997. McAlary died of cancer at the age of 41 in 1998.
John Viscardi (Madwoman of Chaillot, "The Sopranos") will portray McAlary in a cast that also includes Michael Carlsen (The Coast of Utopia) as Justin Volpe, Melanie Charles as Micheline Louima/Nurse, LAByrinth Theater co-founder David Deblinger (Our Lady of 121st Street) as Tommy, Kim Director ("Inside Man") as Alice McAlary, Thomas Kopache (Orpheus Descending, Our Town) as Kornberg/Editor/Cop/Garbus and Sidney Williams (Little Flower of East Orange) as Doctor/EMS Worker/Deputy Commissioner. The design team will include John McDermott (scenic design), Kalere A. Payton (costume design), Joel Moritz (lighting design), Janie Bullard (sound design), Steve Channon (projection design) and Nina Alexander (properties).
Klores' play Little Doc received its world premiere as part of Rattlestick's 2010 season. His films include "The Boys of 2nd Street Park," "Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story," "Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks," "Crazy Love" and "Black Magic."
Visit rattlestick.org. The Rattlestick Playwrights Theater is located at 224 Waverly Place (between West 11th and Perry St.).
