The Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director and Stephen Eich, Executive Director) announced the full cast and creative team for ART at The Pasadena Playhouse.  ART, by Yasmina Reza and translated by Christopher Hampton, stars Roger Bart, Michael O’Keefe and Bradley Whitford and will be directed by nine-time Emmy Award-winner David Lee.  The production will perform January 24 – February 19 , with the official press opening on January 29, 2012.

 

“David Lee, one of our favorite directors at The Playhouse, has brought together a truly exciting cast for one of my favorite plays,” said Playhouse Artistic Director Sheldon Epps.  “These actors are sure to bring their consummate skill, deft sense of comedy, and rewarding pathos to this complex and deeply satisfying work.  I look forward to the theatrical electricity that I am sure will occur on our stage.”

 

“With Bradley, Michael, and Roger I have what can simply be referred to as a director’s dream,” stated director David Lee.

 

The creative team for ART also includes scenic design by Tom Buderwitz (Pasadena Playhouse’s Mauritius), lighting design by Jared Sayeg (Pasadena Playhouse’s current Blues For An Alabama Sky) and costume design by Kate Bergh (Pasadena Playhouse’s recent South Street).

ART is the acclaimed international hit from playwright Yasmina Reza (God of Carnage). Serge (O’Keefe), Marc (Whitford) and Yvan (Bart) are the best of friends. But when Serge spends a fortune on a controversial painting, all three experience the dire consequences of adhering to one’s taste in art. Marc is horrified, but is it the painting that offends him, or the uncharacteristic independence-of-thought that the purchase reveals in Serge?  Yvan, caught in the middle of the conflict, tries to please and mollify both of them.  Lines are drawn and they square off over the canvas, using it as an excuse to relentlessly batter one another over various failures. As their arguments become less theoretical and more personal, they border on destroying their friendship.  This production will be directed by nine-time Emmy Award-winner David Lee, who has helmed many previous Pasadena Playhouse successes including Can-Can, Light Up The Sky and Camelot.

The 1998 Broadway production of ART was the recipient of the Tony Award and the New York Drama Critic’s Circle Award for Best Play and was also a Drama Desk Award nominee for Best Play.  It also received the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Play and the Moliere Award for Best Commercial Production.

 

Roger Bart has starred in the Broadway productions of the Tony Award-winning Mel Brooks musicals The Producers (originating the role of “Carmen Ghia” and subsequently the role of “Leo Bloom”) and as “Dr. Frederick Frankenstein” in Young Frankenstein (Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations).  Other Broadway credits include: The Frogs with Nathan Lane at Lincoln Center; “Snoopy” in You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown (Tony and Drama Desk Award-winner); Triumph of Love; King David and Big River.  Bart was most recently featured on the ABC hit series “Revenge” as Mason Treadwell.  He also appeared last season on the ABC series “The Event” and the first two seasons of “Desperate Housewives” as pharmacist George Williams. Bart has made TV guest appearances on “Traffic Light,” “Medium,” “Human Target,” “CSI: Miami,” “CSI,” “Law & Order,” “Bram and Alice,” “The Lost Room” (SyFy mini-series) and “30 Rock.”  He provided the singing voice of the title character in Disney’s animated feature Hercules and the singing voice of “Scamp” in Disney’s Lady & The Tramp Part 2. Other film credits include Law Abiding Citizen, American Gangster, The Producers, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, The Stepford Wives, The Midnight Meat Train, The Insider and Hostel: Part II.  Upcoming film projects include Freaky Deaky, Excision (Sundance Film Festival 2012), A Green Story, Smiley and April Apocalypse.

 

Michael O’Keefe has appeared in a number of critical and commercial hit films, such as Michael Clayton, Frozen River, The Pledge, Ironweed, Caddyshack, and The Great Santini, for which he garnered both Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations. Films soon to be released include Emergo, Junction, and A Thousand Cuts. Television audiences will remember him as Fred on “Roseanne,” or from his other appearances on “The West Wing,” “Law and Order,” “House M.D.,” “The Closer” and “Brothers & Sisters.” Most recently, Michael appeared in the critically acclaimed HBO film Too Big to Fail as Wall Street hotshot Chris Flowers. On Broadway, Michael has appeared in productions of Reckless, Side Man, The Fifth of July and Mass Appeal, for which he received a Theater World Award. He also portrayed the lead role of Lt. Daniel Kaffee in the National Tour of A Few Good Men. In addition to acting, Michael also enjoys writing in a variety of forms. In 2009, he published a book of poems entitled Swimming From Under My Father, which was very well-received and reviewed. He penned the lyrics for the Grammy winning song, “Longing in their Hearts,” which was composed and sung by Bonnie Raitt. His writing has also appeared in “BOMB,” “Lake Affect” and “Chaparral,” and he holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Bennington College.

 

Bradley Whitford is best known for his roles as Deputy White house Chief of Staff Josh Lyman on the NBC television drama “The West Wing” (three-time Emmy Award nominee “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series 2001-2003, winning the award in 2001; three-time Golden Globe Award nominee for “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role”), as Danny Tripp on “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” as Dan Stark in the Fox police buddy-comedy “The Good Guys,” as Red John in the hit CBS series “The Mentalist,” a guest appearance on the USA Network series “In Plain Sight” and the CBS series “Law & Order: Los Angeles,” as Randy in Scent of a Woman, as Bobby Lee in A Perfect World and as Eric Gordon in Billy Madison.  He also recently starred in the Broadway production of Boeing Boeing from April – September, 2008. He is also starring in the April 2012 Lionsgate release of The Cabin in the Woods.

 

ART will play at The Pasadena Playhouse from January 24 – February 19, 2011, with the official press opening on January 29, 2011.  The Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 South El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101.  The performance schedule is Tuesday – Friday at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Regular ticket price range is from $29.00 – $59.00, with Premium Seating available for $100.00. All preview performances are $10 off the regular ticket price (except Premium Seating).  Rush tickets are available for $15.00 one hour prior to the performance time and are subject to availability.  Rush tickets must be purchased at The Pasadena Playhouse Box Office. Tickets are available by calling The Pasadena Playhouse at 626-356-7529 or by visiting The Pasadena Playhouse Box Office, Monday from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Tuesday – Sunday from 12:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. during non-performance dates and Tuesday – Sunday from 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. on performance dates.  The box office is closed on holidays.  Tickets are available 24 hours online at www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org.  Group Sales (8 or more) are available by calling 626-921-1161. For additional information visit www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org.