Mary Beth Peil, Michael Laurence and Hanah Stuart Will Make Music In Morini Strad Off-Broadway

By Adam Hetrick
16 Feb 2012

Mary Beth Peil
Mary Beth Peil

Tony Award nominee Mary Beth Peil, Michael Laurence and violinist Hanah Stuart have been cast in the New York premiere of The Morini Strad, Willy Holtzman's drama about late violinist Erica Morini, which will begin Off-Broadway in March.

Primary Stages, which has produced several of Holtzman's plays including Sabina, Something You Did and Bovver Boys, presents the limited March 20-April 28 engagement. It will officially open April 3 at 59E59 Theaters.

Executive producer Casey Childs directs the cast that includes Peil (Follies, Nine, The King and I), Laurence (Talk Radio, Opus, Krapp 39) and solo violinist Stuart.

According to Primary Stages, "Inspired by the true New York story of concert violinist Erica Morini and her legendary Stradivarius violin, The Morini Strad is a delicate duet between Erica, a difficult former child prodigy, and Brian, a stubbornly independent violin maker she hires to restore and then sell her beloved Strad. As Brian makes the arrangements, the question of what will become of the priceless instrument threatens to destroy their unexpected friendship. Through classical music and fiery confrontations, Brian and Erica must face the choices they’ve made about their music and their lives."

The production will have set design by Neil Patel, costume design by David C. Woolard, lighting design by Mary Louise Geiger, original music and sound design by Lindsay Jones, and projection design by Jan Hartley.

For tickets phone (212) 279-4200. For more information, visit primarystages.org.