Ben Livingston, Michael O'Keefe, Daryl Sabara & More to Join Chloe Grace Moretz in THE LIBRARY at The Public Theater

By: Feb. 24, 2014
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The Public Theater announced complete casting today for The Library, a new play written by award-winning writer Scott Z. Burns and directed by Academy Award winner Steven Soderbergh. The Library will begin previews on Tuesday, March 25 in The Public's Newman Theater and run through Sunday, April 27, with an official press opening on Tuesday, April 15.

The complete cast of The Library features Ben Livingston (Reverend Dunston, ADA Thornton); Chloë Grace Moretz (Caitlin Gabriel); Michael O'Keefe (Nolan Gabriel, Surgeon); Daryl Sabara (Ryan Mayes, Marshall Bauer); Lili Taylor (Dawn Sheridan); David Townsend (Publisher, Agent Murtaugh); Tamara Tunie (Detective Gwen Washburn); and Jennifer Westfeldt (Elizabeth Gabriel, Nurse).

After Caitlin Gabriel survives a deadly shooting at her high school, she struggles to tell her story to her parents, the authorities and anyone who will listen. But there are other narratives that gain purchase in the media and paint her in a different light. Academy Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh returns to the stage with this bold and chilling world premiere that asks us to examine our relationship to the truth and the lies that claim to heal us. This production is co-developed and supported by the Kennedy/Marshall Company.

THE LIBRARY features scenic design by Riccardo Hernandez, costume design by Gabriel Berry, lighting design by David Lander, and sound design by Darron L West.

BEN LIVINGSTON (Reverend Dunston, ADA Thornton) has appeared on Broadway in The Heiress; One Man, Two Guvnors; and Mamma Mia! and Off-Broadway in Our Town. His select film and television credits include Bruce Almighty, Freeloaders, Unrest, "The Good Wife," "Boardwalk Empire," "Damages," "Blue Bloods," "Person of Interest," "Without a Trace," "JAG," "Frasier," "Dharma and Greg," and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."

CHLOË GRACE MORETZ (Caitlin Gabriel) has been captivating audiences since she was five years old when she booked a lead role in Michael Bay's remake of The Amityville Horror for MGM opposite Ryan Reynolds. Her breakout role as 'Hit-Girl' in Matthew Vaughn's cult-classic film Kick-Ass, followed by a starring role in Matt Reeves' remake of Let Me In, landed her on TIME Magazine's prestigious Top 10 Performances of the Year list, as well as, the New York Times Best Performances of 2010 list. She recently starred as Carrie White in the remake of the cult classic Carrie alongside Julianne Moore and reprised her role as fan favorite Hit-Girl in the sequel Kick Ass 2. Prior, Moretz starred in Martin Scorsese's Hugo alongside Sir Ben Kingsley. The film received much critical acclaim and was nominated for 11 Oscars. This was followed by a leading role in Tim Burton's Dark Shadows alongside Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfeiffer. Moretz will next be seen in lead roles opposite Denzel Washington in The Equalizer, Juliette Binoche in Sils Maria for Olivier Assayas, in Dark Places, an adaptation of Gillian Flynn's 2009 best-selling thriller with Charlize Theron, the indie film Laggies opposite Keira Knightley which premiered at Sundance 2014 and MGM's If I Stay based on Gayle Forman's 2009 young-adult novel.

MICHAEL O'KEEFE (Nolan Gabriel, Surgeon) last appeared at The Public in The Killdeer. On Broadway, his credits include Reckless, Side Man, The Fifth of July, and Mass Appeal. His Off-Broadway credits include McReele, That Championship Season, The Young Girl and the Monsoon, Uncle Vanya, Short Eyes, and Christmas on Mars. His select film credits include Michael Clayton, Caddyshack, Frozen River, The Hot Chick, The Glass House, The Wait, The Inner Circle, and The Great Santini, for which he was nominated for an Oscar. He has appeared on television in "Rosanne," "MASH," "The Closer," "Vanished," "Brothers & Sisters," "Ghost Whisperer," "Numb3rs," "Burn Notice," "Criminal Minds," and "Law & Order," among others.

DARYL SABARA (Ryan Mayes, Marshall Bauer). His select film credits include the Spy Kids films, John Carter, The Polar Express, The Green Inferno, Machete, and World's Greatest Dad. He has appeared on television in "Weeds," "Grimm," "Friends," "Ultimate Spider-Man," "Easy to Assemble," "House M.D.," "Criminal Minds," "Father of the Pride," "Generator Rex," "Fatherhood," among others.

LILI TAYLOR (Dawn Sheridan) last appeared at The Public in What Did He See? Additionally, she starred in Warner Brother's number one blockbuster this summer, The Conjuring, directed by James Wan. Taylor currently stars in both JJ Abrams' scientific crime drama "Almost Human" on Fox and Netflix's groundbreaking original series, "Hemlock Grove." Taylor made her Broadway debut in Scott Elliott's staging of Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters. She made her directorial debut with Steven Dietz's Halcyon Days, for her own theatre company, Machine Full. Her other stage credits include The Dead Eye Boy, for which she was a Drama Desk Award nominee; Landscape of the Body; Aven'u Boys; and the New Group's 2004 revival of Aunt Dan & Lemon, for which she won both an Obie Award and a Drama League Award. Taylor starred in many films including Oliver Stone's Born on the Fourth of July, Emir Kusturica's Arizona Dream, Nancy Savoca's Household Saints, for which she won a Spirit award, Alan Rudolph's Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, Robert Altman's Short Cuts and Prêt-à-Porter, and Donald Petrie's Mystic Pizza, in which she made her film debut. On television, Taylor worked on a number of productions, including the hit TV series "Six Feet Under." This role earned her two Emmy nominations and a SAG Award.

DAVID TOWNSEND (Publisher, Agent Murtaugh) has appeared in New York in Exit/Entrance; Much Ado About Nothing; Shakespeare's Slave; Margaret: A Tyger's Heart; Twelfth Night; Constant Couple; Hamlet; Jewtopia; Death Variations; Gospel According to Adam; The Spanish Tragedy; and Columbinus. His television credits include "Boardwalk Empire," "From the Head," and "Law & Order."

TAMARA TUNIE (Detective Gwen Washburn) has appeared at The Public in the Shakespeare in the Park production of Troilus and Cressida. She has appeared on Broadway in Julius Caesar with Denzel Washington; Oh, Kay! with Brian Stokes Mitchell; the 20th Anniversary Benefit Concert of Dreamgirls; and Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music. Her regional credits include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, All's Well That Ends Well, Les Liasons Dangereuse, Antony and Cleopatra. Her film and television credits include Devil's Advocate, FLIGHT, City Hall, Snake Eyes, Eve's Bayou, The Caveman's Valentine, "The Red Road," "Law and Order: SVU," "24," "Sex and The City," "NYPD Blue," and "As The World Turns." She was a Broadway producer on the Tony Award-winning production of Spring Awakening; the Tony nominated production Radio Golf, and Magic/Bird. She also served as a producer on The Dutchman at The Cherry Lane. She made her directorial debut with the film See You in September.

JENNIFER WESTFELDT (Elizabeth Gabriel, Nurse) made her Broadway debut in 2004's Wonderful Town, directed by Kathleen Marshall and opposite Donna Murphy, for which she received a Tony nomination, a Theater World Award and a Drama League Award. Her recent stage work includes the world premiere of Nell Benjamin's The Explorers Club at MTC, directed by Marc Bruni; The 24 Hour Plays On Broadway; Stephen Belber's The Power of Duff at The Huntington Theater, directed by Peter Dubois; the world premiere of Cusi Cram's A Lifetime Burning at Primary Stages, directed by Pam McKinnon; the world premiere of Joe Gilford's Finks at The Powerhouse Theater/NYSAF, directed by Charlie Stratton; Three Sisters at LA Theaterworks; and The Power of Duff at The Powerhouse Theater/NYSAF, starring Greg Kinnear and directed by Peter Dubois. An actress and filmmaker, Jennifer Westfeldt is perhaps best known for writing and starring in the indie films Kissing Jessica Stein (Indie Spirit Nomination, Golden Satellite Award, multiple Audience Awards), Ira & Abby (Best Actress/HBO Comedy Festival, multiple Audience Awards), and 2012's indie hit Friends With Kids (Top Ten Films of 2012, New York Magazine, Top 12 of 2012, NPR), which also marked her directorial debut. Television credits include "24," "Grey's Anatomy," "Notes From the Underbelly"; "Children's Hospital"; "Judging Amy"; "Before You Say I Do"; "Hack"; "Numb3rs"; "Snoops"; "Holding The Baby"; "Two Guys, A Girl and A Pizza Place"; and the current season of HBO's "Girls."


SCOTT Z. BURNS (Playwright) is a screenwriter, director and producer. He most recently wrote the original screenplay for Side Effects, a psychological thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh, starring Jude Law, Rooney Mara, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Burns wrote the 2011 original screenplay for Contagion, directed by Steven Soderbergh, starring Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, and Jude Law. He penned the screen adaptation of Soderbergh's The Informant!, which starred Damon as well. Burns also co-wrote the Academy Award-winning Bourne Ultimatum, directed by Paul Greengrass, and was a producer on An Inconvenient Truth, the Academy Award-winning documentary, for which he received the Humanitas Prize and the Stanley Kramer Award from the Producers Guild of America. He wrote and directed HBO Films' critically acclaimed PU-239, which was produced by Soderbergh and George Clooney. Additionally, Burns is currently writing and executive producing "Conspiracy," a drama series for NBC based on Christopher MacBride's feature The Conspiracy. Burns is currently attached to direct his screenplay Deep Water, an adaptation of the documentary by the same name with Colin Firth and Kate Winslet attached to star in the summer of 2014. The film will be produced by Blue Print Pictures, BBC, and Studio Canal. Burns began his career in advertising, after graduating Summa Cum Laude from the University of Minnesota. He was part of the creative team responsible for the original "Got Milk?" campaign and his advertising work has been recognized by the Clio Awards, the Cannes Film Festival, and the New York Film Festival. Burns has written for GQ Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, The Wall Street Journal and the Huffington Post.

STEVEN SODERBERGH (Director) is a writer, director, producer, cinematographer, and editor. His television film "Behind the Candelabra," for which he won a 2013 Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing, debuted on HBO in May of last year. He earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay for his directorial debut, sex, lies, and videotape, and the Academy Award in 2000 for directing Traffic, the same year he was nominated for Erin Brockovich. Among his other credits are the films Side Effects, Magic Mike, Haywire, Contagion, And Everything is Going Fine, The Girlfriend Experience, The Informant, Che, the Ocean's trilogy, The Good German, Bubble, Solaris, Full Frontal, The Limey, Out of Sight, Gray's Anatomy, Schizopolis, The Underneath, King of the Hill and Kafka. In 2009, he created and directed the play Tot Mom for the Sydney Theatre Company. While in Sydney he also directed the film The Last Time I Saw Michael Gregg. His upcoming television series, "The Knick," will air on Cinemax.

Photo by Jennifer Broski



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