Artistic director Joe Dowling helms the production, which will officially open July 11 on the Wurtele Thrust Stage. The limited engagement is scheduled to play through Aug. 24.

The cast features Guthrie veteran Michael Goetz as Mayor Anton Antonovich and Broadway favorite Hunter Foster (The Producers, Little Shop of Horrors) as Hlestakov. The company also includes Raye Birk (the School Principal), Wayne A. Evenson (the Judge), Jim Lichtscheidl (the Postmaster), Stephen Pelinski (the Police Chief), Stephen Yoakam (the Hospital Director), Sally Wingert (Anna Andreyevna), Maggie Chestovich (Marya Antonovna), Lee Mark Nelson (Dobchinsky) and Kris L. Nelson (Bobchinsky).

The ensemble comprises Matthew Amendt (Adbullin/Constable), Kate Eifrig (the Inn Keeper's Wife/the Corporal's Widow), Hugh Kennedy (Pentelaeyev/Constable), Bill McCallum (Chernaeyev/Constable), Barbara June Patterson (Grusha, the Mayor's Maid), Randy Reyes (the Doctor), Luverne Seifert (Osip, Hlestakov's Servant) and Phyllis Wright (the Waitress/the Locksmith's Wife).

	Hunter Foster with director Joe Dowling
	photo by Mark Vancleave

The Government Inspector, according to the Guthrie, "offers nonstop hilarity, as news of a surprise visit from an undercover government inspector sends a small provincial Russian town spiraling into a world of panic and greed. Fearing such a visit will expose the extent of their corruption, local officials set off in a flurry of activity to cover up their various misdeeds, only to discover that a stranger from the capital has been staying at the local inn for the past week. An unfortunate case of mistaken identity ensues as the officials, thinking the feared inspector is disguised as this impoverished young civil servant, literally fall over themselves with fists full of rubles to bribe the stranger." The creative team also includes John Arnone (set designer), Ann Hould-Ward (costume designer), Christopher Akerlind (lighting designer), Adam Wernick (composer), Reid Rejsa (sound designer), Jo Holcomb (dramaturgy), Lucinda Holshue (voice and dialect Coach), Chris A. Code (stage manager), Jason Clusman (assistant stage manager) and Suzy Messerole (assistant director). The Guthrie is located at 818 South 2nd Street (at Chicago Avenue), in downtown Minneapolis. For tickets call (612) 377-2224 or visit www.guthrietheater.org.