Rufus Norris (Festen) will stage the Roundabout Theatre Company work scheduled to begin previews April 11, 2008, and open May 1 at Broadway's American Airlines Theatre. The limited engagement will play through June 29.
Joining Linney and Daniels in the company are Siân Phillips (Regrets Only) as Madame De Rosemonde, Mamie Gummer (Mr. Marmalade, "Evening") as Cecile Volanges, Kristine Nielsen (A Streetcar Named Desire, Miss Witherspoon) as Madame De Volanges, Benjamin Walker (Inherit the Wind) as Danceny, Rosie Benton (Howard Katz) as Emile and Derek Cecil (Sweet Bird of Youth) as Azolan. More casting is yet to be announced.
"For long-time friends and occasional lovers Vicomte de Valmont [Daniels] and Marquise de Merteuil [Linney], love is simply a game of chess," according to Roundabout. "But in a few false moves, they find themselves locked in the ultimate checkmate. Filled with seduction, betrayal, and plenty of illicit passion, this dark comedy paints the pre-Revolutionary French aristocracy in all its cynicism and decadence."
The design team includes Scott Pask (sets), Katrina Lindsay (costumes) and Donald Holder (lights).
Hampton's play is based on the novel by Choderlos de Laclos. The drama won the Olivier Award for Best Play in its 1985 London premiere and was the basis for the 1988 Academy Award-nominated film "Dangerous Liaisons." Olivier Award winner Daniels (who earned the Olivier for the Royal National Theatre staging of All My Sons) has appeared on the London stage in Therese Raquin, The God of Hell, Tales From Hollywood, Naked, Waiting for Godot, Entertaining Mr. Sloane and more. He has been seen on television in "The State Within," "Elizabeth-The Virgin Queen," "Ian Fleming-A Life in Pictures," "Truth or Dare," and "Romeo and Juliet." Film credits include "Beautiful Thing," "Luna," "Doom" and "Madeleine."
Linney, who can currently be seen opposite Philip Seymour Hoffman in the feature film "The Savages," has managed to enjoy both a stage and film career. Her recent Broadway work in Sight Unseen, The Crucible and Uncle Vanya have been peppered amid film work in "You Can Count on Me," "Mystic River," "Kinsey" and "Love Actually." She has also appeared on stage in Honour, Holiday, Hedda Gabler and The Seagull. Her film credits also include "The Nanny Diaries," "Breach," "The Squid and the Whale," "The Life of David Gale," "The Truman Show" and the HBO version of "The Laramie Project."
Howard Davies directed the original 1987 Broadway production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the Music Box Theatre with Alan Rickman and Lindsay Duncan as the dueling duo. The work was nominated for the Best Play Tony Award; stars Rickman and Duncan were also Tony-nominated.
Tickets to Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the American Airlines Theatre will go on sale March 8, 2008, by calling Roundabout Ticket Services at (212) 719-1300, online at roundabouttheatre.org or at the box office (at 227 West 42 Street). American Express Card members will be able to access a pre-sale starting Feb. 20.
