Brian Kulick's staging of Shakespeare's drama, Pericles, officially opens Nov. 9 at Off-Broadway's Joseph Papp Public Theatre. Viola Davis (Seven Guitars), Gail Grate and Jay Goede (Sex and Longing) in the title role, head the cast.

The show was slated to open Nov. 1, but Grate's laryngitis forced the show to delay its opening. The Public had to cancel Saturday evening and Sunday matinee preview performances Oct. 24-25 due to the ailment. According to Public Theatre press rep Bill Coyle, actress Grate -- who plays both Antiochus' daughter and Thaisa -- began to lose her voice two weeks ago, forcing her to be miked during the Oct. 22 and 23 performances. As matters got worse, Grate walked through the Oct. 24 Saturday matinee, while another actress read her part.

Trouble first hit when Pericles cancelled its Oct. 13-15 previews due to technical issues, according to Coyle. Previews began Oct. 16.

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The Public presented the seldom-done Shakespeare play several years ago, with Michael Grief directing Campbell Scott in the title role. The new mounting will be helmed by Brian Kulick, who last season directed A Dybbuk at the Public. Viola Davis was nominated for a Tony for her performance in August Wilson's Seven Guitars. She has also worked at the American Conservatory Theatre, Trinity Rep and the Guthrie Theatre.

Jay Goede appeared on Broadway in Christopher Durang's Sex and Longing. He was to play the title role in Edward II at Washington, D.C.'s Shakespeare Theatre this fall until the show's director, Garland Wright, unexpectedly died and the production was replaced by Oscar Wilde's A Woman of No Importance.

Also in the cast of Pericles are Vivienne Benesch (Ancient History, Deep Blue Sea), Torquil Campbell, Philip Goodwin, Francis Jue, Miriam A. Laube, Julio Monge, Geoffrey Owens and Sam Tsoutsouvas.

For more information on shows at NYSF/the Public Theatre call (212) 260-2400.

-- By David Lefkowitz and Robert Simonson