The Caldwell Theatre Company staging in Boca Raton, FL, June 19-July 18 is one of the first regional productions of the 2003 Tony Award-winning Best Play. Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City is among companies also mounting the play this summer.
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Take Me Out, about the event-packed season of a Yankees-like baseball team (the star player comes out of the closet, for starters) was expected to have a national tour, but that didn't materialize. More actors responded to Caldwell's open casting call — held over five days in New York and over three days in Florida — than any in the 29-year history of the troupe. More agents sent in bios and headshots than at any time before, and more actors auditioned for the 11 roles cast in Take Me Out than for any other roles in Caldwell's history, according to press notes.
Michael Hall (Caldwell co-founder its artistic and managing director) directs the provocative comic-tragic sports soap opera that explores race, class, elitism, friendship, celebrity, ego, sex and sexuality. The play is a love letter about baseball from a playwright who admitted his passion for ball is only recent. Greenberg's plays include The Violet Hour, Eastern Standard and Three Days of Rain.
The Florida production, as on Broadway, London and Off Broadway, includes nudity and mature subject matter. The South Florida Caldwell cast also includes Paul Lasa as Martinez, Michael Polak as Shane Mungitt, Michael Shelton as Kippy, Danilo Anibaldi as Rodriguez, Gary Cowling as Mason Marzac, Lawrence Evans as Davey Battle, Ikuma Isaac Fryman as Takeshi Kawabata, Ian Hersey as Skipper/William R. Danziger, Haskell King as Jason Chenier, Charlie Kevin as Toddy Koovitz.
Designers are Tim Bennett (scenic), Thomas Salzman (lighting) and Steve Shapiro (sound).
For information, call (561) 241-7432 or visit www.caldwelltheatre.com.
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In the coming year, Take Me Out will be staged at Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Denver's Curious Theatre Company, Ann Arbor's Performance Network and the Geffen Playhouse in Brentwood, CA.
