André Gregory stages the first New York revival of the play that features Shawn (Aunt Dan and Lemon, "My Dinner With Andre," "The Princess Bride"), Deborah Eisenberg and Larry Pine – original company members from the 2000 New York production. It will run through Aug. 25. The play is presented as part of the The Wallace Shawn-André Gregory Project – a retrospective celebrating a 40-year collaboration – which also includes Grasses of a Thousand Colors (running Oct. 8-Nov. 10). The Public Theater presented Shawn's first play in New York, Our Late Night, in 1975, directed by Gregory.
According to the Public, The Designated Mourner "is a monologue-triptych in which three artist-intellectuals recount their experiences as their once-liberal country sinks into political crisis. A famous poet-intellectual, his daughter, and her husband—people made of very different moral fiber despite their shared highbrow interests—witness the subtle and flagrant transformations of everyday life, public affairs and personal relationships until they finally are dragged into the middle of things themselves. This searing and disturbing drama, prescient of much that occurred during the Bush/Obama years, has been called Shawn's masterpiece."
For further information phone (212) 967-7555, or visit PublicTheater. The Public Theater is located at 425 Lafayette Street in Manhattan.