The show will continue to sell tickets through March 7 while a decision about the closing date is being made. No casting for the final weeks has been announced.
Drawn from interviews of forty former death row inmates by playwrights Blank and Jensen, The Exonerated explores the variety of experiences and feelings of those who spent from 2 to 22 years imprisoned only to be later by found innocent and released. Bob Balaban (the actor seen in "A Mighty Wind") directs.
The production raised $300,000 in donations in its first year for the six exonerees, portrayed in the play, who received no remuneration after being released from prison. The work has garnered a number of awards including a Lucille Lortel Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award and a Drama Desk Award. Regional productions and a current national tour have also brought the drama across the country.
The Exonerated is produced by The Culture Project, Dede Harris, Morton Swinsky, Bob Balaban, Allan Buchman, Patrick Blake, David Elliott, Jane Bergere, Ruth Hendel and Cheryl Wiesenfeld.
The show features a rotating cast that currently includes Nell Balaban, Larry Block, Onipede Blunt, Jimonn Cole, Bill Dawes, Mia Dillon, Keir Dullea, Erik LaRay Harvey, Bruce Kronenberg, Bruce MacVittie, William Jay Marshall and April Yvette Thompson. Past cast members of this run have included Eric Bogosian, Peter Boyle, Josh Brolin, Avery Brooks, Gabriel Byrne, Robert Carradine, Judy Collins, Tim Daly, Kristin Davis, Fran Drescher, Richard Dreyfuss, Cary Elwes, Mia Farrow, Peter Gallagher, Sara Gilbert, Jeff Goldblum, Tony Goldwyn, Mariska Hargitay, Sarah Jones, Anthony Michael Hall, Marcia Gay Harden, Anne Jackson, Carol Kane, Christine Lahti, Chad Lowe, Andrea Martin, Andrew McCarthy, Esai Morales, Alanis Morisette, Rob Morrow, Joe Morton, Bebe Neuwirth, Rhea Perlman, Amanda Plummer, Aidan Quinn, Lynn Redgrave, Eric Roberts, Richard Schiff, Kyra Sedgwick, Ally Sheedy, Brooke Shields, John Spencer, Mary Steenburgen, Fisher Stevens, Susan St. James, Marlo Thomas, Kathleen Turner, Ben Vereen, Montel Williams and Debra Winger.
The Exonerated plays at Off-Broadway's 45 Bleecker, where it opened Oct. 10, 2002. The theatre is located at 45 Bleecker Street. For reservations, call (212) 307 4100. For more information, visit www.45bleecker.com.
