Bloom, Bobb, Dardaris, Riesco, Skraastad Introduce Becky Shaw to Philly

By Kenneth Jones
30 Dec 2009

Jeremy Bobb
Jeremy Bobb
Photo by James Haskins

The Wilma Theater's Philadelphia-premiere production of Gina Gionfriddo's Becky Shaw, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, begins Dec. 30. Obie Award-winner Anne Kauffman directs the comic drama that was acclaimed at the Humana Festival and Off-Broadway.

Jeremy Bobb (Is He Dead? and Translations and the Encores! Finian's Rainbow) plays Max in the Philly run to Jan. 31, 2010. Opening is Jan. 6.

According to Wilma, "When Suzanna decides to set her best friend Max up on a blind date with her husband's mysterious co-worker, Becky Shaw, she sets into motion a series of cataclysmic events forever changing all of their lives. Mixing sharp wit and humor with the taut suspense of a psychological thriller, Becky Shaw is a comedy of romantic errors that keeps audiences at the edge of their seats guessing what will happen next."

The cast also includes Brooke Bloom as Becky Shaw; Janis Dardaris as Susan Slater (she originated the role in the Humana Festival premiere of Becky Shaw); Armando Riesco as Andrew Porter; and Danielle Skraastad as Suzanna Slater.

Obie Award-winning playwright Gionfriddo (After Ashley) is a writer and producer of television's "Law & Order." Gionfriddo will visit the Wilma for an exclusive conversation on stage on Jan. 10, 2010.

Director Kauffman is an alumna of the SoHo Rep Writers and Directors Lab, Lincoln Center Directors Lab, and the Drama League of New York. She is a founding member of the Civilians, and was a 2003-2004 New Dramatist Resident Director. Kauffman is also on the directing faculty at NYU in the Playwrights Horizons Theater Studio. She received her MFA in directing from UCSD. Her recent credits include God's Ear at Vineyard Theater and New Georges Theatre; Anne Marie Healy's Have You Seen Steve Steven at 13P; Adam Bock's Thugs (Obie Award for directing), SoHo Repertory; John Patrick Shanley's Doubt and Lisa Loomer's Expecting Isabel at Asolo Repertory Theatre in Florida.

The production team includes set designer Mimi Lien; lighting designer Thom Weaver; costume designer Emily Rebholz; and sound designer Christopher Colucci.

For tickets and information, call the box office at (215) 546-7824 or email tickets@wilmatheater.org.