Austin Pendleton Stars in World Premiere Comedy Chekhov's Rifle in NYC, Sept. 19-Oct. 4

By Ernio Hernandez
02 Sep 2003

Austin Pendleton.
Austin Pendleton.

Fresh from a Williamstown Theatre Festival gig in The Chekhov Cycle, Austin Pendleton will star in a new dark comedy Chekhov's Rifle in New York City, Sept. 19-Oct. 4.

Alex Ladd penned the new work which receives its world premiere from The Lord Strange Troupe at The Greenwich Street Theatre.

Pendleton is a performer and Tony Award-nominated director who has appeared on Broadway in The Diary of Anne Frank, Grand Hotel, Spoils of War, Doubles and The Little Foxes. The actor — seen in such films as "My Cousin Vinny," "Amistad" and "A Beautiful Mind" — recently lent his voice to the animated "Finding Nemo."

Chekhov's Rifle centers on a cynical playwright and his actor roommate who passes a script off as his own. The plot within the play begins to come to life in the murder mystery. The title makes reference to the Chekhovian principle "If a gun hangs from the wall in the first act of a play, it must fire in the last."

Nolan Haims directs a cast that also includes Jess Osuna (Happy Birthday Wanda June), Craig Bachmann, Veronica Bero, Bridget Flanery, Dawn McGee and George Morafetis

Playwright Ladd was a 2000 Samuel French finalist and a 2002 finalist for the Actors Theatre of Louisville's Heideman Award. In 2003, he received a Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Other works include Nicetown and Countrymen and Rigoletto on the Ranch.

For tickets to Chekhov's Rifle, at The Greenwich Street Theatre, 547 Greenwich Street (near Spring Street), call (212) 868-4444.