By Kenneth Jones
21 Apr 2009

Doris Roberts

Doris Roberts, Richard Thomas, Harriet Harris, Maria Dizzia, Joe Manganiello and Evan Powell will star in the La Jolla Playhouse production of Terrence McNally's latest play, Unusual Acts of Devotion, to make its West Coast premiere at La Jolla Playhouse in June.

Trip Cullman directs the production, to play the Mandell Weiss Theatre June 2-28 in La Jolla, CA. Opening is June 10.

"In Unusual Acts of Devotion, Leo and Nadine's neighbors help them celebrate their fifth anniversary one summer night on their Greenwich Village rooftop," according to Playhouse notes. "Danger lurks in the air as each character confronts unfulfilled desires and secret longings for each other. With wit and warmth, preeminent playwright Terrence McNally (Love! Valour! Compassion!, Master Class, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Ragtime, The Full Monty) charts damaged souls and damaged cities, loves lost and recovered, and the joys of simple but enduring acts of devotion."

Emmy Award winner Roberts (Marie Barone of "Everybody Loves Raymond") is Mrs. Darnell, Emmy winner Richard Thomas ("The Waltons," Twelve Angry Men) is Chick Hogan, Tony Award winner Harriet Harris (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Cry-Baby) is Josie Shelton, Maria Dizzia (Eurydice for Yale Rep/Berkeley Rep/Second Stage) is Nadine Choate, Joe Manganiello is Leo Belraggio and Evan Powell is Man.

Thomas appeared in the world premiere of Unusual Acts of Devotion by Philadelphia Theatre Company in fall 2008.

McNally said in a statement in 2008, "In Unusual Acts of Devotion, I wanted to imagine a party with one young couple celebrating an anniversary, an ill-matched couple trying to affect some sort of reconciliation, and an older woman who has observed it all. All these people have a rare opportunity to come together to love and be loved, to empathize, and to be understood. If there's one thing I hope that audiences take away from the play, it's how precious the time we spend together is and how we squander it so mightily."

McNally is a four-time Tony-winning playwright for Master Class, Love! Valour! Compassion!, Ragtime and Kiss of the Spider Woman.

The creative team includes Santo Loquasto (set designer); Jess Goldstein (costume designer); Ben Stanton (lighting designer); John Gromada (sound designer); and Kelly Glasow (stage manager).

For more information call the Playhouse Box Office at (858) 550-1010 or visit www.lajollaplayhouse.org.