Cast Announced for The Goodman's New Stage Adaptation of Roberto Bolano's 2666

Casting is complete and rehearsals begin December 16 for 2666, a new stage adaptation of acclaimed Chilean author Roberto Bolaño's famed novel, adapted and directed by Tony Award-winning Artistic Director Robert Falls and Playwright-in-Residence Seth Bockley at Goodman Theatre.

The 15-member ensemble cast, appearing in dozens of roles throughout the five-hour, three intermission production, includes Charin Alvarez, Janet Ulrich Brooks, Yadira Correa, Sandra Delgado, Alejandra Escalante, Sean Fortunato, Henry Godinez, Larry Grimm, Eric Lynch, Mark L. Montgomery, Adam Poss, Demetrios Troy, Juan Villa, Jonathan Weir and Nicole Wiesner. Falls' and Bockley's stage adaptation of Bolaño's internationally acclaimed novel-a panoramic portrait of the 20th century and an "epic, maddening, mesmerizing adventure" (The New York Times) named "Best Book of 2008" (Time) and winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award-is brought to life by a creative team including designers Walt Spangler (sets), Ana Kuzmanic (costumes), Aaron Spivey (lights), Richard Woodbury and Mikhail Fiksel (sound), and Shawn Sagady (projections and video). 2666 makes its world premiere as a special event in the Goodman's 350-seat flexible Owen Theatre, February 6 - March 13, 2016. Tickets ($20-$45, as well as a special $10 ticket price for students) go on sale on Friday, December 11; visit GoodmanTheatre.org, call 312.443.3800 or purchase in person at the Box Office at 170 N. Dearborn. 2666 is made possible by a generous grant from The Roy Cockrum Foundation.

"I am thrilled to welcome this wonderful company of Chicago's finest actors and designers to the Goodman for this stage adaptation of Roberto Bolaño's brilliant 2666," said Robert Falls. "We are privileged to collaborate with these artists-many of whom have played key roles in the process of developing 2666 over the years, so it's particularly thrilling to work with them as we now realize the full production. For both Seth and me, 2666 has been a work of love, discovery and passion, and we are excited to begin rehearsals next week."

Falls first encountered the book 2666 on a visit to Barcelona, Bolaño's final home and the site of the novel's first publication. Inspired and fascinated by the novel's epic scope and structure, he set out to adapt it for the stage and invited Seth Bockley-a Chicago-based director and playwright whose work has been seen from Bogotá, Colombia to rural northwestern Ireland, and is rooted in collaborative creation and inventive visual style-to join him on the project. The full piece was heard in a free public reading as part of the Goodman's 2012 New Stages festival.

2666 begins with four European literary critics hot on the trail of the elusive German author Benno von Archimboldi-a search that leads them into the dark heart of the Mexican border city Santa Teresa, where the brutal murders of hundreds of women over the course of a decade remain unsolved. The story gives way to a panoramic portrait of the 20th century, including a New York reporter on his first Mexican assignment; a widowed philosopher; and a police detective in love with an older woman. Spanning more than 100 years-from Spain to Mexico to Germany and beyond-each of 2666's five parts vary in style and rhythm, give an unflinching look at the nature of evil and illuminate the power of art to reflect and transform the world. Roberto Bolaño (1953-2003) was born in Santiago, Chile, and spent much of his adult life in Mexico and Spain. A National Book Critics Circle Award recipient, Bolaño's posthumously-published 2666 was named "Best Book of the Year" by Time magazine, New York magazine, Salon.com, L.A. Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Seattle Times and the Village Voice.