Bentley and Arianda Cast in Ives' Venus in Fur, a Tale of Sex and Power

By Kenneth Jones
10 Dec 2009

Wes Bentley
Wes Bentley

Wes Bentley and Nina Arianda will be featured in the Classic Stage Company production of David Ives' Venus in Fur, directed by Walter Bobbie, in early 2010.

Off-Broadway performances will begin Jan. 13 for a limited engagement at CSC (136 E. 13th Street) through Feb. 21. The official opening is Jan. 26.

According to CSC, "Venus in Fur, inspired by the infamous erotic novel of the same name, takes us behind the scenes of an audition, where a man and a woman blur the lines between fantasy and reality, seduction and power, love and sex. A crackling exploration of sexual control and desire, the play is captive to David Ives' famous combination of classic rigor and contemporary wit."

Bentley (Thomas/Kushemski) was born in Jonesboro, AR, and attended the Juilliard School's Drama Division in New York City for a short period of time and appeared in a few stage works. He starred in several films, including the Oscar-winning "American Beauty," Michael Winterbottom's "The Claim," "The Four Feathers" and "P2." He more recently starred in "The Last Word" and the thriller "Dolan's Cadillac."

Arianda (Vanda/Dunayev), a New York University graduate acting alumna, has appeared with Project 400 in Measure for Measure and The Donkey Show (understudy) plus in Becoming Natasha (HERE), Still the River Flows (La Mama), many roles at NYU.

Sets for Venus in Fur are by Tony Award winner John Lee Beatty, costumes by Anita Yavitch, lighting by Peter Kaczorowski and sound by Acme Sound Partners.

Venus in Fur will play Tuesday through Friday at 8 PM; Saturday at 2 PM and 8 PM; and Sunday at 2 PM. Tickets are $60 Tuesday through Thursday and $65 Friday through Sunday.

Walter Bobbie and David Ives
Ives and Bobbie last worked together at CSC on New Jerusalem. Ives' plays include All in the Timing and Polish Joke, and he penned concert adaptations of musicals for the Encores! series. Bobbie and Ives have collaborated for over 15 years on more than ten productions as writer/producer, writer/director, co-authors, writer/actor, and writer/dramaturg. Their productions together range from Broadway, Off-Broadway, City Center Encores, Carnegie Hall and public television.

Bobbie directed the holiday perennial White Christmas on Broadway and across the country over the last six seasons. His international hit Chicago has become the longest-running revival in Broadway history and won him the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards as Best Director.

For tickets and information, visit www.classicstage.org or call (866) 811-4111, or (212) 352-3101, or visit the CSC box office.

For more information on Classic Stage Company visit the theatre’s website at www.classicstage.org.