Links in the Chain... Meet the Cast of SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, Opening Tonight!

By: Apr. 25, 2017
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John Guare's Six Degrees of Separation, starring seven-time Emmy Award winner Allison Janney ("Mom," The Girl on the Train), Tony Award winner John Benjamin Hickey (The Normal Heart, "Manhattan") and Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton, "24: Legacy"), directed by Trip Cullman (Significant Other, Yen), officially opens tonight, April 25, at the Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street). Below, get to know the cast before they take their opening bows!

The cast of Six Degrees of Separation also includes Jim Bracchitta (Gypsy in 2008 and 1989, The House of Blue Leaves), Tony Carlin (Sylvia, Fish in the Dark) as the Doorman, Michael Countryman (Privacy, Spotlight) as Larkin, James Cusati-Moyer (Broadway debut, A Soldier's Tale) as the Hustler, Ned Eisenberg(Rocky, Golden Boy) as Dr. Fine, Lisa Emery (Casa Valentina, "Jessica Jones") as Kitty, Keenan Jolliff (Broadway debut, Youth in Oregon) as Woody, Peter Mark Kendall (Mercury Fur, "Outpost") as Rick, Cody Kostro (Broadway debut, Dead Poet's Society) as Doug, Sarah Mezzanotte (Broadway debut, The Wolves) as Elizabeth, Colby Minifie (Long Day's Journey Into Night, Punk Rock) as Tess, Paul O'Brien (On a Clear Day, The Importance of Being Ernest) as the Detective, Chris Perfetti (Everybody, Cloud Nine) as Trent, Ned Riseley(Broadway debut, Poster Boy) as Ben and Michael Siberry (An Enemy of the People, Spamalot) as Geoffrey.

Inspired by a true story, the play follows the trail of a young con man, Paul (Hawkins), who insinuates himself into the lives of a wealthy New York couple, Ouisa and Flan Kittredge (Janney and Hickey), saying he knows their son at college. Claiming he's the son of actor Sidney Poitier, Paul tells them he has just been mugged and all his money is gone. Captivated by Paul's intelligence (and the possibility of appearing in his father's new movie), the Kittredges invite him to stay overnight. After finding him in bed with a hustler (Cusati-Moyer), their picture of Paul changes, and Ouisa and Flan turn detective trying to piece together the connections that gave him access to their lives. Meanwhile, Paul's cons unexpectedly lead him into darker territory as his lies begin to catch up with him.


Allison Janney (Ouisa) - The incredibly versatile Allison Janney has taken her place among a select group of actors who combine a leading lady's profile with a character actor's art of performance. Currently starring alongside Anna Faris in the CBS/Chuck Lorre sitcom, "Mom," Janney also received rave reviews for her turn as Margaret Scully on Showtime's groundbreaking drama "Masters of Sex." Janney won Emmys for both roles in the same year; a feat that has only been done twice before in Emmy history. She won a second Emmy for "Mom" the following year, bringing her total number of ATAS statues to seven. She has had three feature films released recently: Tallulahwhich reunited her with Ellen Page, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children for director Tim Burton, and The Girl on the Train, collaborating again with longtime friend, director Tate Taylor. Janney also appeared in two of last summer's biggest box office titles: the adorably animated Minions and Spy with Melissa McCarthy. Previous feature work includes The Duff, Jason Bateman's directorial debut, Bad Words, the Dreamworks' animated film Mr. Peabody & Sherman, and The Way, Way Backwith Steve Carell and Toni Collette. Additionally, she co-starred in the much anticipated feature film The Help based on the best-selling novel of the same name. For their extraordinary performances, the cast won Ensemble awards from the Screen Actors Guild, National Board of Review and the Broadcast Film Critics. The film was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Janney has also delighted audiences with outstanding performances in the Oscar-winning ensemble hit Juno and in the movie version of the Tony Award winning play Hairspray. For her role in Todd Solondz's film Life During Wartime she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress by the Spirit Awards. She also appeared in Sam Mendes' Away We Go, the comedy Strangers with Candy, and was heard as the voice of Gladys in Dreamworks' animated film Over the Hedge as well as Peach in Finding Nemo. She received another Spirit Award nomination for her work in the independent feature Our Very Own, and starred opposite Meryl Streep in The Hours, which received a SAG Award nomination for Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture. Other feature credits include the Academy Award-winning film American Beauty (for which she won a SAG Award for Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture) as well as Nurse Betty, How to Deal, Drop Dead Gorgeous, 10 Things I Hate About You, Primary Colors, The Ice Storm, Six Days Seven Nights, The Object of My Affection, and Big Night. Throughout her career Janney has made a handful of memorable guest-star appearances on television, but she is renowned for her starring role in the acclaimed NBC series "The West Wing," where she won a remarkable four Emmy Awards and four SAG Awards for her portrayal of White House Press Secretary CJ Cregg. While a freshman studying acting at Kenyon College in Ohio, Janney auditioned for a play that Paul Newman was directing and got the part. Soon after, Newman and his wife JoAnne Woodward suggested she study at The Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. She followed their advice and went on to make her Broadway debut in Noel Coward's Present Laughter for which she earned the Outer Critics Circle Award and Clarence Derwent Award. She also appeared in Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge, receiving her first Tony Award nomination and winning the Outer Critics Circle Award. Janney was last seen on Broadway in the musical 9 to 5, for which she earned a Tony nomination and won the Drama Desk Award.

John Benjamin Hickey (Flan) - John Benjamin Hickey recently starred as Frank Winter in the critically acclaimed WGN America series Manhattan. John's film credits include Truth, Big Stone Gap, Get on Up, Pitch Perfect, Flags of Our Fathers, The Anniversary Party, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and The Taking of Pelham 123. John can currently be seen in the Netflix-released film Tallulah, which premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Most recently, he wrapped on Black Bear Pictures' Barry, a Barack Obama biopic that premiered at TIFF; Scott Cooper's Hostiles, starring Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, Jesse Plemons, and Ben Foster; and George Wolfe's HBO feature The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. On television, he received an Emmy Award nomination for his work on the Showtime series "The Big C," playing Laura Linney's brother, Sean. He also recurred on the hit CBS television series "The Good Wife" playing Internet billionaire Neil Gross. Other television credits include "Pitch Perfect," "Manh(a)ttan," "Modern Family," "Hannibal," "The New Normal," "Sex and the City," and "Law & Order." On Broadway, John won the 2011 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play and a Drama Desk Award for his performance in The Normal Heart. His other credits include Mary Stuart, The Crucible, Cabaret, and Love! Valour! Compassion! for which he won an Obie Award. Earlier this year, John was back on stage in Peter Parnell's Dada Woof Papa Hot at Lincoln Center for director Scott Ellis.

Corey Hawkins (Paul) - Corey Hawkins first gained recognition with his breakout performance as iconic music producer and hip hop legend Dr. Dre in F. Gary Gray's N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton. Produced by Legendary and distributed by Universal Pictures, the film spent three consecutive weeks in the #1 spot at the box office and is the highest-grossing music biopic in history, making over $201 million worldwide. Hawkins stars as Eric Carter in the new iteration of Fox's "24" franchise, "24: Legacy," alongside Miranda Otto and Jimmy Smits. Hawkins will soon be seen in the King Kong prequel tentpole Kong: Skull Island with director Jordan Vogt-Roberts to be released March 10. Re-teaming with Legendary, Hawkins stars opposite Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, John Goodman, John C. Reilly, and Samuel L. Jackson. In 2015, Hawkins joined the cast of the AMC hit show "The Walking Dead" as Heath, a major character in the comic series. Hawkins' film credits include Universal Pictures' Non-Stop as well as Winter's Tale for Warner Bros. and Marvel Studios' Iron Man 3. On stage, Hawkins most recently starred on Broadway as Tybalt in David Leveaux's revival of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, opposite Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad. He also starred in Hurt Village at Signature Theatre, and Suicide Incorporated at The Roundabout. Hawkins is a graduate of The Juilliard School and is a recipient of the prestigious John Houseman Prize, given to one Juilliard student that has demonstrated an exceptional ability in classical theatre.

Jim Bracchitta (Policeman) - Broadway/National Tour: Gypsy (twice, with Tyne Daly and with Patti LuPone); The House of Blue Leaves; The Exonerated; Death of a Salesmanw/Judd Hirsch (Toronto); Broadway Bound. Off-Bway: Over The River... Regional: George Street Playhouse; Westport Playhouse; The Huntington, etc. Television: "Divorce;" "Show Me A Hero" (David Simon/Paul Haggis); "Vinyl;" "Bernard & Doris" (all HBO); "Blue Bloods;" "The Blacklist;" "Mysteries of Laura;" "The Sopranos;" "Law & Order" (a dozen episodes). Founder: Cape Cod Theater Project. 1500+ radio and TV commercials. Jim is a labor trustee on the SAG Pension/Health Plans and a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist.

Tony Carlin (The Doorman) - Broadway: Sylvia, Fish in the Dark, All the Way, The Best Man, Time Stands Still, Lend Me a Tenor, Mary Stuart, Spring Awakening, Pygmalion, Copenhagen, Jumpers, Heidi Chronicles and Mamma Mia!(original Broadway company). Off-Broadway: Trial of an American President (Lion), Stuff Happens (Public), Entertaining Mr. Sloane(Laura Pels), ­Once in a Lifetime (Atlantic). Regional: Junk (La Jolla Playhouse), Apples and Oranges (Alliance), Woman in Mind with Helen Mirren (Tiffany Theatre). Film: Invisibles (VR), The Bourne Legacy, Nutty Professor, True Colors, Crazy People. Television:"The Blacklist," "Royal Pains," "Star Trek Voyager," "Seinfeld" (Finale).

Michael Countryman (Larkin) - Michael Countryman recently starred in The Public Theater's smash hit Privacy opposite Daniel Radcliffe and Rachel Dratch. Film appearances include Spotlight,Burn After Reading, P.S. I Love You, Che, The Namesake, The Squid and the Whale. On television, Michael appeared in "Billions," "The Path," "The Girlfriend Experience," "Boardwalk Empire," "The Americans." Michael has appeared on Broadway in Wit, Mary Stuart, Night Must Fall, Holiday, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, A Few Good Men and Face Value. Numerous off-Broadway credits include The Open House, Dancing at Lughnasa, Bluebird, The New York Idea, Equivocation, Shipwrecked!, Trumpery, The Butcher Of Baraboo, a Drama Desk nomination for both The Common Pursuit and Out.

James Cusati-Moyer (Hustler) - Broadway debut. NY/Regional: A Soldier's Tale featuring Michael Cerveris at Carnegie Hall, Portland Stage Company, Williamstown Theatre Festival. TV: "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," "Red Oaks," "The Path," "Blue Bloods," "Time After Time". Training: BA, Marymount Manhattan College. MFA, Yale School of Drama.

Ned Eisenberg (Dr. Fine) - Broadway: Rocky, Golden Boy, Awake and Sing, The Green Bird. Off-Broadway: Othello(Iago), Oliver Twist (Fagin), King John (Title role) T.F.A.N.A.; Finks, Ensemble Studio; Rocket to the Moon,Peccadillo; Meshugah, Naked Angels. Regional: Merchant of Venice (Shylock) Colombari; Camp David (Menachem Begin), Old Globe; Guys and Dolls (Nathan Detroit), Long Wharf; Street Scene, Six Degrees of Separation, Williamstown; Broadway Musicals: Three Generations, Kennedy Center. Film: Won't Back Down, Limitless, Flags of Our Fathers, World Trade Center, Million Dollar Baby. TV: "The Night Of," "Bull," "The Good Wife," "Person of Interest," "30 Rock," "Blue Bloods," "Law and Order: SVU." Member: Ensemble Studio Theater, Naked Angels.

Lisa Emery (Kitty) - Broadway: Casa Valentina, Relatively Speaking (George Is Dead), The Women, Present Laughter, Jackie, Burn This, Rumors, The Smell of the Kill. Off-Broadway: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at MCC, Marjorie Prime and Marvin's Room at Playwrights Horizons, A Kind of Alaska (Drama Desk nom.) at Atlantic Theatre Co. at CSC, Iron (Obie Award, Lortel nom.) at MTC, The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin and Distracted (Lortel nom.) at Roundabout, Abigail's Party (Lortel nom.), What the Butler Saw, and Curtains (Ensemble Obie) at The New Group, Dinner with Friends at Variety Arts, Far East at LCT. Film: Admission, Unfaithful, The Night Listener, A Map of the World, Roger Dodger. Television: "Louis," "Sex and the City," "Law & Order," "SVU," "CI," "Damages," "Elementary," "Fringe." Netflix: "Jessica Jones," "Ozark" (upcoming).

Keenan Jolliff (Woody) - Keenan Jolliff will make his Broadway debut in Six Degrees of Separation. Most recent work can be seen in Danny Strong's Rebel in the Rye and Joel David Moore's Youth in Oregon. Past work includes Netflix's "Daredevil" and "The Get Down," Love the Coopers, The Preppie Connection, Wildling.

Peter Mark Kendall (Rick) - Broadway: The Rose Tattoo (The Acting Company: concert reading with Patti LuPone and Bobby Cannavale). Off-Broadway: The Harvest (LCT3), Mercury Fur (The New Group), NYTW, Red Bull Theater, Ensemble Studio Theatre. Regional: Bay Street Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, Trinity Rep., Chautauqua, Gloucester Stage, Baltimore Shakespeare, Studio Theatre (DC), Rep Stage, Kennedy Center. Film: Time Out of Mind, Louder Than Bombs, The Ticket, Seven Lovers. TV: "Outpost" (series regular; CBS); "Girls," "The Americans," "Chicago Med," "Eye Candy" (recurring); "The Good Fight;" "Gotham;" "Public Morals;" "Law and Order: SVU;" "The Leftovers." Education: M.F.A., Brown/Trinity Rep.

Cody Kostro (Doug) - Cody Kostro is making his Broadway debut in Six Degrees of Separation. Earlier this year he made his Off-Broadway debut in Dead Poets Society at Classic Stage Company. Other theater credits include: Lost In Yonkers at The Schoolhouse Theater, Sosua Dare To Dance directed by Elizabeth Swados, and A Midsummer Night's Dream at Shakespeare's Globe in London. Cody plays Charlie Dobkins on the current season of "Law and Order SVU." He was trained at Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University.

Sarah Mezzanotte (Elizabeth) - Sarah Mezzanotte is thrilled to be making her Broadway debut in Six Degrees of Separation. Sarah recently finished Playwrights Realm's production of The Wolves at The Duke Theatre. Her New York professional stage debut began Off-Broadway in the world premiere of Colt Core's Dry Land. TV credits include: "Blue Bloods," "Royal Pains," "Law and Order: SVU," and pilots "The Interestings" and "Truth Slash Fiction." She is a proud graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Sarah is managed by Michal Zecher, and repped by Innovative Artists.

Colby Minifie (Tess) - Broadway: Long Day's Journey Into Night(Roundabout), The Pillowman. Off-Broadway: Punk Rock (MCC), Close Up Space(MTC), Landscape of the Body (Signature), The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (TG), Love Letters To A Dictator (TA). Film: Deep Powder, Camilla Dickinson, Beware the Gonzo, Don't Think Twice, Cecile On The Phone, and upcoming films An Actor Prepares, The Super, Radium Girls, and Submission. TV: "Jessica Jones" (recurring), "Black Box," "Michael J. Fox Show," "The Blacklist," "Nurse Jackie," "Law & Order" + "SVU", "Glee." Graduate of Macaulay Honors, YoungArts, PPAS, NDI, BADA, and a member of The Actor's Center.

Paul O'Brien (Detective) - Broadway: On a Clear Day, The Importance of Being Earnest, Equus, Cymbeline, Democracy, King Lear, Twelfth Night. Off-Broadway: Da, The Weir (Irish Rep), Man in Snow (La Mama), Hamlet (NYSF), Death Defying Acts (Variety Arts), Three Birds Alighting on a Field (MTC), Is Life Worth Living? (Mint Theater), Widow's Blind Date (Circle in the Square). Regional: Guthrie, Playmakers' Rep, Williamstown, Geffen, South Coast Rep, ATL, Long Wharf, Trinity Rep, Huntington. Film: Hail Caesar, Redacted, Devil's Own, Manhattan Romance, Fairhaven, Henry's Crime. TV: "House of Cards," "Person of Interest," "Forever," "Search Party," "Law and Order," "Sopranos," "The Practice," "Providence," "ER," "Star Trek Voyager," "Angel."

Chris Perfetti (Trent) - Broadway: Picnic (dir. Sam Gold). Off-Broadway: Everybody (Signature), Cloud Nine (Atlantic), The Tempest (Public Theatre/NYSF), Sons of the Prophet (Roundabout), The Tutors (Second Stage). TV: "The Night Of" (HBO), "Crossbones" (NBC), "Looking" (HBO), "Next Caller" (NBC). Education: B.F.A., SUNY Purchase Conservatory.

Ned Riseley (Ben) - Ned Riseley is making his Broadway debut. Regional credits include Poster Boy(Williamstown), Unknown Soldier (Williamstown). His comedy duo "Friends Who Folk" has been featured in The New Yorker and Glamour, and performs live at venues throughout the city.

Michael Siberry (Geoffrey) - Theatre: Antony and Cleopatra, Proof (McCarter), An Enemy of the People (Manhattan Theatre Club), Man and Boy, Death Takes a Holiday, Mrs. Warren's Profession (Roundabout), When the Rain Stops Falling(Lincoln Center), On the Levee, (LCT3), Spamalot (Tour & Broadway), The Frogs (Lincoln Center), The White Devil (Sydney Theatre Company at BAM), House and Garden (National Theatre), Chicago (London), The Sound of Music (Broadway), Nicholas Nickleby (RSC Broadway). Television includes: "Rosemary and Thyme," "The Grand," "Silent Witness," "Jeeves and Wooster," "House of Cards," "Boardwalk Empire," "Person of Interest," "The Good Wife," "The Blacklist," "Jessica Jones" and "The Last Tycoon." Films: Birdman, Experimenter and Coming Through The Rye.



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