Bronson Pinchot and Tim Ruddy star in Marie Jones' Stones in His Pockets at Philadelphia's Zellerbach Theatre, Nov. 21-Dec. 1, marking a new leg of the national tour that has dotted the country with Pinchot.
The Philly stand of the two-hander comedy represents the first city for Pinchot's new Irish co-star, Tim Ruddy. It then travels to Boston, Cleveland, Washington, D.C. and more. Ian McElhinney directs.
Stones in His Pockets — embraced by audiences on Broadway, in London, and across the U.S. — is seen through the perspective of Charlie and Jack, two down-on their luck Irishmen working as extras on a Hollywood film being shot in the Irish countryside. The close-knit rural community around them is uprooted and in some ways destroyed by the arrival of the Hollywood cast and crew. The actors play over a dozen different characters, donning the shoes of each they embody.
The play was inspired by Jones' own experience as an actor in films shot in Ireland, including 1993's "In the Name of the Father," starring Daniel Day Lewis. Jones' other plays include A Night in November, Women on the Verge of HRT and the sequel Women on the Verge Get a Life.
Pinchot has recently done time in New York theatre, playing Autolycus in Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale with The Public Theater and the Observer in the Broadway staging of Putting It Together. He may be best known, however, for the role of Balki in the popular television series, "Perfect Strangers," (opposite another stage actor, Mark Linn-Baker) and for his brief, but memorable work in "Beverly Hills Cop." Irish-born Ruddy's credits include productions of Macbeth, Sweet Charity and Juno and the Paycock. He recently reprised his role in the 1993 film "Gettysburg," as Major Charles Marshall in the upcoming prequel "Gods and Generals" set for a limited released Dec. 27 followed by a wide theatrical release Feb. 21, 2003.
The tour dates (subject to change) are as follows: