O'Neil Announces Actors for Summer Conferences

Wendy C. Goldberg, Artistic Director of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's National Playwrights Conference (NPC) and Paulette Haupt, Artistic Director of the National Music Theater Conference (NMTC), announced the actors cast in their 2008 projects. The actors include a mix of award-winning actors from stage and screen, seasonEd O'Neill performers, and new talent.

The list includes 2006 Tony Award winner John Lloyd Young (Best Performance by a Leading Actor, Jersey Boys); Obie Award winner and star of the stage and screen version of Tracy Letts' Bug, Michael Shannon; Kerry O'Malley, currently featured in M. Night Shyamalan's film, The Happening and Showtime's Brotherhood; 2007 Drama Desk Award nominee and known nationally for her work on Law & Order, Annie Parisse; eleven-year-old Matthew Gumley, who originated the role of Michael Banks in Broadway's Mary Poppins; Obie Award winner and Tony Award nominee for his work in Love! Valour! Compassion!, Stephen Bogardus; 2007 Drama Desk Award winner, Paul Sparks, for Essential Self Defense; Maria Dizzia, recently seen in Adam Bock's Drunken City at Playwrights Horizon; William Parry, who originated roles in both Broadway version's of Sunday in the Park with George and Passion; Jeremy Bobb who recently appeared in the Broadway hit, Is He Dead? and in the Tony nominated production of Brian Friel's Translations; Mike Doyle, who played forensics technician Ryan O'Halloran on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Johanna Day, 2001 Tony Award nominee, and recently seen in Edward Albee's Peter and Jerry; Marva Hicks, best known for her work in Caroline or Change and The Lion King; Kevin Geer, who appeared in the film, American Gangster, and on Broadway's Twelve Angry Men; Deborah Lew, recently seen in City Center Encores No, No, Nanette; and Paul Oakley Stovall, who appeared in the world premiere of Dessa Rose at Lincoln Center and is a frequent O'Neill performer.

Ms. Goldberg said, "I'm delighted that we have such an exciting roster of performers - a great mix of award-winning actors, seasonEd O'Neill performers and new talent -- to bring our writers' work to life at the O'Neill. The O'Neill, its artists and its audiences will truly benefit from the skills of these performers." Casting Director is Alan Filderman.

The O'Neill's 2008 National Music Theater Conference projects and casts are:

MYTH
Book, Music and Lyrics by John Mercurio
Director: Jeremy Dobrish
Performances: Sun., June 29 at 3:00 pm; Wed., July 2 at 8:00 pm; Fri., July 4 at 8:00 pm; Sat., July 5 at 8:00 pm
CAST: Dylan Collins, Dane DeHaan, Brandon Espinoza, Marva Hicks, Deborah Lew, Pamela Myers, William Parry, Maureen Silliman, Paul Oakley Stovall, John Lloyd Young, Wes Taylor

IN TRANSIT
Book, Music and Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez, James-Allen Ford, Russell M. Kaplan and Sara Wordsworth
Director: Joe Calarco
Performances: Sat., July 5 at 3:00 pm; Sun., July 6 at 3:00 pm
CAST: Ryan Thomas Dunn, Hannah Laird, Adam Matta, Adam Overett, Ann Sanders, Graham Stevens, Denise Summerford

MAX UNDERSTOOD
Book by Nancy Carlin; Lyrics by Nancy Carlin and Michael Rasbury; Music by Michael Rasbury
Director: Jack Cumming
Performances: Fri., July 11 at 8:00 pm; Sun., July 13 at 3:00 pm
CAST: Matthew Gumley, Jonathan Hammond, Hannah Laird, Lauren Marcus, Kerry O'Malley, Ben Roseberry, Paul Oakley Stovall

IRON CURTAIN
Book by Susan DiLallo, Lyrics by Peter Mills, Music by Stephen Weiner
Director: Cara Reichel
Performances: Sat., July 12 at 8:00 pm; Weds., July 16 at 8:00 pm; Fri., July 18 at 8:00 pm;
Sat., July 19 at 3:00 pm
CAST: David Abeles, Alison Briner, Stephen Bogardus, Monique French, David Gregory, Daniel Levine, Anne Torsiglieri, Dan Sharkey, Robby Sharpe, Lucy Sorensen, Gordon Stanley, Jessica Snow Wilson

The O'Neill's 2008 National Playwrights Conference projects and casts are:

THE NEAR EAST by Alex Lewin
Director: Lisa Peterson
Performances: Thurs. July 3 at 8:15 pm; Sat., July 5 at 8:15 pm
CAST: Scott Drummond, Daoud Heidami, Marjan Neshat, Joseph Parks, Jon Norman Schneider, Matt Seidman, Karim Sioud

BOX AMERICANA by Jason Grote
Director: Jackson Gay
Performances: Fri., July 4 at 8:15 pm; Sun., July 6 at 5:15 pm
CAST: Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Ross Bickell, Matteo Eckerle, Don Guillory, Angela Lewis, David Ross, Makela Spielman

SMUDGE by Rachel Axler
Director: Daniel Aukin
Performances: Thurs., July 10 at 8:15 pm; Sat., July 12 at 8:15 pm
CAST: Maria Dizzia, Mike Doyle, Jonathan Walker

MAGNOLIA by Regina Taylor
Director: Regina Taylor
Performances: Fri., July 11 at 8:15 pm; Sunday, July 13 at 5:15 pm
CAST: Tyla Abercrumbie, Tory Davis, Ted Deasy, Harriett D. Foy, Mattie Hawkinson, Stephen Henderson, Brandon Miller, Caitlin O'Connell, Tim Rhoze, David Ross, Stephen Schnetzer , Makela Spielman

THUNDER ABOVE, DEEPS BELOW by A. Rey Pamatmat
Director: Jesse Berger
Performances: Thurs., July 17 at 8:15 pm; Sat., July 19 at 2:15 pm
CAST: Rey Lucas, Curtis McClaren, Stephen Conrad Moore, Jon Norman Schneider, Maureen Sebastian, Heather Alicia Simms

MISTAKES WERE MADE by Craig Wright
Director: Wendy C. Goldberg
Performances: Fri., July 18 at 8:15 pm; Sun., July 20 at 5:15 pm
CAST: Maggie Lacey, Michael Shannon

THE LEGEND OF MINNIE WILLET by Ann Marie Healy
Director: Annie Dorsen
Performances: Thurs., July 24 at 8:15 pm; Sat., July 26 at 8:15 pm
CAST: Mary Bacon, Ross Bickell, Charlotte Booker, Johanna Day, Kevin Geer, John Jellison, Ryan King, Laura Leigh

WITHOUT YOU by Ursula Rani Sarma
Director: Greg Leaming
Performances: Fri., July 25 at 8:15 pm; Sun., July 27 at 5:15 pm
CAST: Jeremy Bobb, Maggie Lacey, Annie Parisse, Paul Sparks