By Adam Hetrick
24 Nov 2009
The world premiere of Athol Fugard's first American-set play, Have You Seen Us?, starring Sam Waterston, begins performances at the Long Wharf Theatre Nov. 24.
Stage and screen veteran Waterston ("Law and Order," Abe Lincoln in Illinois, Oh Dad, Poor Dad…) leads a cast that features Liza Colon-Zayas (Peter Sellars' Othello), Sol Frieder (Three Penny Opera) and Elaine Kussack (Fiddler on the Roof).
According to Long Wharf, "Henry Parsons (Waterston) comes in to a mall diner for his usual — a turkey sandwich — and insulting banter with Adela, the Mexican-American waitress. The two creep toward a fragile understanding until Solly and Rachel, an eastern European Jewish couple, sit down to eat. The couple's entrance forces Henry to a reckoning with the indelible remains of his past; and, for a moment, unites four lost souls."
The creative team includes Eugene Lee (set design), Jennifer von Mayrhauser (costume design), Stephen Strawbridge (lighting design) and Corrine Livingston (sound).
"Law and Order" star Waterston's many Broadway credits include Abe Lincoln in Illinois, A Walk in the Woods, Benefactors, Lunch Hour, Hamlet, A Doll's House, Much Ado About Nothing, The Trial of the Catonsville Nine, Hay Fever, Indians, Halfway Up the Tree and Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad. His film credits include "Crimes and Misdemeanors," "Hannah and Her Sisters," "The Great Gatsby" and "Serial Mom."
Fugard's plays include Blood Knot, Boesman and Lena, Sizwe Bansi is Dead, The Island, Master Harold and the Boys, My Children! My Africa!, Exits and Entrances, Victory, Bootjie and the Oubaas and Visions and Dreams. Long Wharf presented the world premiere of his play Coming Home last season. His new play, The Train Driver, will premiere in South Africa in 2010.
For further information visit LongWharf.org.
The Long Wharf Theatre is located at 222 Sargent Drive in New Haven, CT.
