THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES to Open Penguin Rep's Season, 5/18

The Hound of the Baskervilles, a comedy adapted by Steven Canny and John Nicholson from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's celebrated Sherlock Holmes mystery, opens Penguin Rep Theatre's 2012 season Friday, May 18.

The first of four mainstage productions selected for the nonprofit professional theatre's 35th season, The Hound of the Baskervilles will be directed by Mark Shanahan and presented through June 10 at Penguin's intimate, 108-seat theatre in Stony Point (Rockland County), New York.

In Hound of the Baskervilles, legendary detective Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr. Watson investigate the mysterious case of the "hound of hell" that stalks the moors. "But the classic story gets a gloriously funny makeover in this new adaptation", says Penguin Rep artistic director Joe Brancato. "Part Alfred Hitchcock, part Marx Brothers, it features adventure, suspense and non-stop laughs."

The cast of Hound of the Baskervilles features David Arkema, Steven Hauck and Andy Prosky.
Mark Shanahan's work as a director has been seen at Penguin Rep, where he staged The Woman in Black in 2009, as well as at Houston's Alley Theatre, The George Street Playhouse, and New Jersey Rep. As an actor, Mark appeared at Penguin Rep in Women Who Steal and Mrs. Mannerly. His NYC acting credits include the original Broadway company of The 39 Steps (The Cort Theatre); As Bees In Honey Drown (Lucille Lortel Theatre); Philadelphia, Here I Come! (Roundabout); and Tryst (directed by Joe Brancato at Irish Rep). Regional theatre appearances include Journey's End (directed by Gregory Boyd), Tryst, Sedition, Around The World In 80 Days (Westport Country Playhouse); and David Copperfield (directed by JoAnne Woodward and Anne Keefe).
Steven Hauck (Sherlock Holmes) starred on Broadway in Irena's Vow and was seen last season in Donald Margulies' Shipwrecked! An Adventure at Penguin Rep. He recently performed Off Broadway in One Arm directed by Moisés Kaufman at The New Group, and his NYC credits also include Spy Garbo (3LD), The Screwtape Letters (Westside Theater), King Lear with Paul Sorvino, and new plays with The Directors Company, Emerging Artists (company member), and the Young Playwrights Festival at the Cherry Lane.

Andy Prosky (Dr. Watson) returns to Penguin Rep where he appeared in Around The World In 80 Days in 2010. His NYC credits include King Lear starring Christopher Plummer at Lincoln Center, The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo And Juliet, and The Tempest at The Pearl Theatre Company. Regionally, he has performed at Arena Stage, Fords Theatre, The Old Globe Theatre, The Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Folger Theatre, The North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, and Vienna's English Theatre.

David Arkema (Sir Henry Baskerville), also seen last season at Penguin Rep in Shipwrecked! An Adventure, trained at L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris, France. He co-wrote, co-produced, composed music for, directed, and performed in HYPERLINK "http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/01/30/theater/30fabr.ready.html" "_blank" Fabrik: The Legend of Moritz Rabinowitz which was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for in 2008.

Steven Canny (Co-Author) is a two-time Sony Gold winning executive producer, writer and director. As writer and adapter, his work includes The Hound of the Baskervilles (West Yorkshire Playhouse, national tour and Duchess Theatre, West End); No Wise Men (Liverpool Playhouse); Origins (Pleasance and Theatre Severn); Foot/Mouth (Soho Theatre); Spyski (Lyric Hammersmith and national tour); A Dulditch Angel (national tour); and A Shropshire Lad (Cottesloe).

John Nicholson (Co-Author) works as a writer, director and performer. He is joint Artistic Director of Peepolykus with whom he has toured throughout the UK and worldwide since 1995.

The production team for The Hound of the Baskervilles includes designers Patricia E. Doherty (costumes), James J. Fenton (set), Sean S. Hagerty (sound), and Martin E. Vreeland (lights); and stage manager Yumi Matsuura.

Performance days and times for The Hound of the Baskervilles are: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturday nights at 8:00 p.m., with matinees on Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. A special reduced-priced weekday matinee performance is slated for Friday, May 18 at 2:00 p.m.

Following Hound in Penguin Rep's 2012 season is a retirement story with a twist -- Richard Dresser's comedy The Last Days of Mickey and Jean directed by Mr. Brancato (June 29 – July 31). When Mickey, a fugitive mobster from Boston, is forced into "retirement" with his long-time girlfriend Jean in Paris, the couple runs into one hilarious situation after another – and discovers shocking truths about each other along the way.

Summer 2012 brings Don't Talk to the Actors, a backstage comedy by Tom Dudzick, author of Miracle on South Division Street and Over the Tavern (August 3 – August 26). Richard Kline, known to millions of TV watchers as "Larry" on the classic sitcom Three's Company, returns to Penguin Rep where he starred in Mr. Dudzick's Greetings! at Penguin Rep in 2011 and in Ten Percent of Molly Snyder in 2008.

Closing the season will be The How and the Why, a new play from In Treatment author/producer Sarah Treem about sex and gender, nature and nurture, loss and love. (October 5 – October 28). Suggested for mature audiences, The How and the Why will be directed by Mr. Brancato.

Subscriptions to 2012 mainstage productions are on sale now and start as low as $101 for the four plays.

Individual tickets to The Hound of the Baskervilles are priced at $39 each. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more and young people (30 and under).

To order tickets or for further information, visit Penguin Rep's website at www.penguinrep.org or call 845-786-2873.