Casting announced for Guthrie's 'Born Yesterday'
Contact:
Seena Hodges 612.225.6142
CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR BORN YESTERDAY
GARSON KANINS COMEDIC BROADWAY TRIUMPH-TURNED-1950 FILM PLAYS OPPOSITE A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Previews begin Saturday, November 23; Opening on Friday, November 29;
Playing through Sunday, January 5, 2014
in the McGuire Proscenium at the Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis
(Minneapolis/St. Paul) The Guthrie Theater today announced casting for its production of Born Yesterday, Garson Kanins deliciously witty screwball comedy about a thuggish businessman and his moll who wrestle with the pedantic establishment of Washington, D.C. A Broadway triumph-turned-1950 Academy Award-nominated film starring Judy Holliday, Born Yesterday will be directed by Guthrie Associate Artistic Director John Miller-Stephany (Roman Holiday, God of Carnage, 1776) and will begin performances on the McGuire Proscenium Stage on Saturday, November 23, playing opposite the Guthries 39th annual production of A Christmas Carol.
From celebrated playwright/director Garson Kanin, who enjoyed a golden career in theater and films for more than 60 years with credits including the Tracy and Hepburn films Adams Rib and Pat and Mike, comes this timely comedy about a corrupt businessman from the other side of the tracks who heads to Washington to buy influence with a senator. Harry Brock arrives in Washington with his entourage in tow: his soused attorney Ed Devery, loyal cousin-henchman Eddie and girlfriend Billie Dawn, a former chorus girl. Brock soon realizes that Billie will need some polishing in order to pass muster with D.C. society, so he hires newspaperman Paul Verrall for the task but Brock gets more than he bargained for. Two months of study finds Billie reading Dickens David Copperfield, listening to classical music and falling for Paul. Brock discovers too late that a little bit of learning can be a dangerous thing when Billie begins to question his business dealings and learns how to leverage her own particular power.
Born Yesterday features Alexis Bronkovic (Regional: Actors Theatre of Louisville, Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Signature Theatre) as ex-chorus girl Billie Dawn, John Patrick Hayden (Broadway: Tartuffe, directed by Joe Dowling; Off-Broadway: Fly, Lincoln Center), as journalist Paul Verrall, Jeff Still (Broadway: Lombardi; Off-Broadway: Tribes; National Tour: August: Osage County) as businessman Harry Brock, Zach Curtis (Guthrie: His Girl Friday, The Night of the Iguana), in the role of henchman Eddie Brock and Mark Benninghofen (Guthrie: Appomattox, Time Stands Still) as attorney Ed Devery.
The cast also features Jennifer Blagen (Guthrie: God of Carnage, The Master Butchers Singing Club), Warren Bowles (Guthrie: King Lear), David Colacci (Guthrie: Roman Holiday, A Mans a Man), Ryan Colbert (University of Minnesota/Guthrie BFA Actor Training Program), Michael Fell (University of Minnesota/Guthrie BFA Actor Training Program), Stuart Gates (Guthrie: A Christmas Carol, University of Minnesota/Guthrie BFA Actor Training Program), Michael Hanna (University of Minnesota/Guthrie BFA Actor Training Program, Those Who Favor Fire), Peggy OConnell (Guthrie: Jane Eyre, The Pirates of Penzance), Miriam Schwartz (University of Minnesota/Guthrie BFA Actor Training Program, In Game or Real) and Peter Thomson (Guthrie: Pride and Prejudice, Roman Holiday).
The artistic team includes Todd Rosenthal (Set Designer), Mathew J. LeFebvre (Costume Designer), Marcus Dilliard (Lighting Designer), C. Andrew Mayer (Sound Designer), Lucinda Holshue (Voice and Dialect), Doug Scholz-Carlson (Fight Choreographer), Jo Holcomb (Dramaturg), Karen K. Wegner (Stage Manager) and Tree OHalloran (Assistant Stage Manager).
Born Yesterday begins preview performances on November 23, opens November 29 and continues through January 5 in the McGuire Proscenium at the Guthrie Theater. Single tickets start at $35 and are now on sale through the Guthrie Box Office at 612.377.2224, toll-free 877.44.STAGE, 612.225.6244 (Group Sales) and online at www.guthrietheater.org.
The GUTHRIE THEATER (Joe Dowling, Director) was founded by Sir Tyrone Guthrie in 1963 and is an American center for theater performance, production, education and professional training. The Tony Award-winning Guthrie Theater is dedicated to producing the great works of dramatic literature, developing the work of contemporary playwrights and cultivating the next generation of theater artists. With annual attendance of nearly 500,000 people, the Guthrie Theater presents a mix of classic plays and contemporary work on its three stages. Under the artistic leadership of Joe Dowling since 1995, the Guthrie continues to set a national standard for excellence in theatrical production and performance. In 2006, the Guthrie opened its new home on the banks of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, the Guthrie Theater houses three state-of-the-art stages, production facilities, classrooms and dramatic public lobbies. www.guthrietheater.org
FACT SHEET
BORN YESTERDAY
by Garson Kanin
directed by John Miller-Stephany
A Broadway triumph-turned-1950 Academy Award-nominated film Born Yesterday is a deliciously witty screwball comedy about a corrupt businessman trying to get ahead in Washington, D.C. Harry Brock, a junk-dealer millionaire on the rise, hunkers down in a lavishly decorated hotel room in the nations Capital with his brassy ex-chorus girl mistress Billie Dawn. Hoping to influence a senator in some unscrupulous business dealings, he discovers that the seemingly dim-witted blonde will need a little polish to get ahead in D.C. society. Brock hires a newspaperman for the task but Brock gets more than he bargained for when, in a deliriously funny and romantic turn of events, Billie teaches Brock that a little bit of learning can be a dangerous thing.
Company:
Mark Benninghofen (Ed Devery), Jennifer Blagen (Mrs. Hedges), Warren Bowles (Bootblack), Alexis Bronkovic (Billie Dawn), David Colacci (Barber), Ryan Colbert (Waiter), Zach Curtis (Eddie Brock), Michael Fell (Bellhop), Stuart Gates (Assistant Hotel Manager), Michael Hanna (Bellhop), John Patrick Hayden (Paul Verrall), Peggy OConnell (Helen, a chambermaid), Miriam Schwartz (Manicurist), Jeff Still (Harry Brock), Peter Thomson (Senator Norval Hedges)
Creative Team:
John Miller-Stephany (Director), Todd Rosenthal (Set Designer), Mathew J. LeFebvre (Costume Designer), Marcus Dilliard (Lighting Designer), Andrew Mayer (Sound Designer), Lucinda Holshue (Voice and Dialect), Doug Scholz-Carlson (Fight Choreographer), Jo Holcomb (Dramaturg), Karen K. Wegner (Stage Manager) and Tree OHalloran (Assistant Stage Manager).
Performance Dates: November 23, 2013 January 5, 2014
Opening Night: November 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Performance Times: Tuesday through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.
Sundays at 7 p.m.
Matinees on selected Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m.
visit www.guthrietheater.org for the complete performance schedule
Location: Guthrie Theater McGuire Proscenium Stage
818 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55415
Pricing: Single tickets priced $35- $70
(Discounts for children, students and seniors available)
Tickets: Tickets may be purchased online at www.guthrietheater.org
Guthrie Box Office: 612.377.2224 or 877.44.STAGE
Box Office hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on non-performance days)
Group Sales: 612.225.6244 or 877.225.6211
RELATED EVENTS
All events will be held at the Guthrie Theater (818 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis) unless otherwise noted.
POST-PLAY DISCUSSIONS
Sunday, December 1 following the matinee performance
Tuesday, December 3 following the evening performance
Sunday, December 8 following the matinee performance
Saturday, December 14 following the matinee performance
Saturday, December 28 following the matinee performance
ACCESS PERFORMANCES
Learn more online at http://www.guthrietheater.org/accessibility
OPEN CAPTIONED
captioned by c2 inc.
Wednesday, December 11 at 1 p.m.
Friday, January 3 at 7:30 p.m.
ASL INTERPRETATION
Interpreted by Erin Gardner and James Gardner
Friday, December 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, January 3 at 7:30 p.m.
AUDIO DESCRIBED
Described by Laura Wiebers
Saturday, December 14 at 1 p.m.
Friday, December 20 at 7:30 p.m.
If you have specific program questions or need an accommodation, please contact the Accessibility Office by phone at 612.225.6390 (voice) or 612.225.6391 (TTY) or email at accessibility@guthrietheater.org.
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