John Guare's Lake Hollywood open Feb. 8 at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis. Previews began Feb. 4 for the playwright's newest work. Marking the first production of the show outside of New York City, Lake Hollywood runs through Feb. 27.
As reported earlier, a Guthrie theatre source indicated that John Guare was in residence at various points during the rehearsal process, and had spent extensive time with the cast.
In Lake Hollywood, the writer of Six Degrees of Separation and The House of Blue Leaves examines the lives of an ordinary couple who are thrust into a "rural farce of Chekovian brilliance" before taking an unexpected leap into the future during the second act.
Lake Hollywood is directed by Itamar Kubovy, who has worked extensively as a director in Germany and Sweden. Rounding out the production are set designer Neil Patel, costume designer Rich Hamson, sound designer Scott Edwards and lighting designer Jeff Bartlett.
The cast for Lake Hollywood includes Guthrie regular Sally Wingert, David Manis, Alex Knold, Elizabeth Norment, Terry Heppelman, Marceline Hugot, Clyde Lund, Britta Lee Nordahl, Marquetta Senters and Bob Davis. In a related story, character actor Alan North passed away Jan. 19 from kidney and lung cancer. North starred in Guare's play Off-Broadway, playing the New Englander who seeks to rename his pond "Lake Hollywood" because the local area had once been visited by Spencer Tracy.
The Guthrie Lab is supported through March 31, 2002 by a Bush Foundation grant totalling $750,000.
Tickets range $21 - $25. The Guthrie Theatre is located at 700 North First Street in Minneapolis' historic warehouse district. For information call (612) 377-2224.
-- By Murdoch McBride
