Love, Valour, Dedication: Nathan Lane To Star Off-Broadway in McNally's Stuff of Dreams
By Ernio Hernandez
27 Jun 2005
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Nathan Lane
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| photo by Aubrey Reuben | Nathan Lane has joined the cast of the upcoming Primary Stages Off-Broadway presentation of Terrence McNally's Dedication or the Stuff of Dreams starring Marian Seldes.
Michael Morris (Slag Heap) directs the New York premiere of the work which debuted at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Aug. 2004. The Off-Broadway run is scheduled to begin previews July 26 and open Aug. 18 at 59E59 Theaters for a run through Sept. 18.
The surprise casting of Lane means that the two-time Tony winner, who just wrapped filming of "The Producers," will barely get a chance to catch his breath before going into rehearsals Sept. 6 for the much-anticipated revival of The Odd Couple. It also marks a reunion between the actor and playwright McNally, who teamed up on The Libson Traviata, Lips Together, Teeth Apart and Love! Valour! Compassion! during the 80's and early 90's.
Terrence McNally's Dedication, as the scribe told Playbill.com, is "about a couple who live in upstate New York. On the weekends, they run, manage and produce a small children's theatre which does things like Puss in Boots and Alice and Wonderland. They are given an opportunity to take over an old abandoned, decaying theatre which was once on the vaudeville circuit. And these people become candidates." He added that the play is about "what price they're willing to pay to have their own theatre."
Lane and Seldes will be joined in the cast by Michael Countryman (The Stendahl Syndrome at Primary Stages), Patricia Kalember (Sea of Tranquility, The Nerd), Miriam Shor (Book of Days, Hedwig and the Angry Inch) and original WTF cast members R.E. Rodgers (Terrorism, "Oz") and Darren Pettie (Hobson's Choice, Unwrap Your Candy).
Seldes, last seen on the New York stage in Beckett/Albee, won a Tony Award for her turn in Albee's A Delicate Balance. Other Broadway credits include Equus, Ivanov, 45 Seconds From Broadway, Father's Day, Deathtrap, Ring Round the Moon and Dinner at Eight — Tony-nominated for the latter four.
Lane won Tony Awards for his roles in The Producers and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. The star, who lead the cast for his revised script of The Frogs, has previously starred in Present Laughter, Merlin, The Wind in the Willows, Some Americans Abroad, On Borrowed Time, Guys and Dolls, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, and The Man Who Came to Dinner.
The design team for Dedication or The Stuff of Dreams features Narelle Sissons (scenic), Laura Crow (costumes), Jeff Croiter (lighting) and Lindsay Jones (sound). Emily N. Wells will serve as production stage manager.
Seldes played the role of Annabelle Willard, the wealthy and eccentric theater owner opposite Rodgers as Edward, her driver, in the original WTF cast that also included Boyd Gaines, Debra Monk, Kellie Overbey, Darren Pettie and Larry Pine. Scott Ellis directed the debut staging.
Peter Frechette (Valhalla, Flesh and Blood) was previously announced to appear in the Off-Broadway run, but recently dropped out. He, coincidentally, was cast in the upcoming Broadway revival of The Odd Couple starring Lane and Matthew Broderick.
Primary Stages' season will then continue (Jan. 24-March 5, 2006) with the east coast premiere of Charles Grodin's The Right Kind of People, directed by Chris Smith followed by Amy Irving starring in Marta Góes' solo play A Safe Harbor for Elizabeth Bishop (March 21-April 30, 2006).
Tickets and subscriptions to Primary Stages' shows at the 59E59 Theaters, at 59 East 59th Street, can be purchased by calling (212) 279-4200 or at the box office. For more information, visit www.primarystages.com.
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