Full Cast for RANCHO VIEJO Announced - Mark Blum, Bill Buell and More!

Playwrights Horizons has announced complete casting for Rancho Viejo, the world premiere of a new play by Dan LeFranc (The Big Meal at Playwrights, Sixty Miles to Silver Lake, In the Labyrinth) and directed by three-time Obie Award winner Daniel Aukin (Placebo, This at Playwrights; Fool For Love; Bad Jews; 4000 Miles; [sic]). Commissioned by Playwrights Horizons, Rancho Viejo will be the third production of the theater company's 2016/2017 Season.

The nine-member cast of Rancho Viejo will feature Ruth Aguilar (The Orientation, CNN's "The Hunt"), Obie Award winner Mark Blum (After the Revolution, Gus and Al, Table Settings at Playwrights; Broadway's The Assembled Parties, The Best Man; "Mozart in the Jungle"), Bill Buell (On the Bum, Kin at Playwrights; Broadway's Cyrano de Bergerac, The History Boys; "Boardwalk Empire"), Ethan Dubin (the current Shear Madness, Regionally in The Whale, John Guare's His Girl Friday), seven-time Emmy Award nominee Julia Duffy (Broadway's Once in a Lifetime, Stephanie Vanderkellen on "Newhart," Allison Sugarbaker on "Designing Women," "Looking," "Scream Queens"), Tyrone Mitchell Henderson (Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk; The America Play; The Piano Lesson; "House of Cards"; "Orange Is the New Black"), Lusia Strus (The Retributionists at Playwrights, Enron, 50 First Dates, "Modern Family"), Academy Award and Tony Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Mare Winningham (After the Revolution at Playwrights, Georgia, Casa Valentina, "George Wallace") and Mark Zeisler (A View From the Bridge, Piece of My Heart, eurydice, "The Americans" ), as well as the canine talents of Marti (Annie, The Open House).

The production will begin previews Friday, November 11 with an Opening Night set for Tuesday, December 6 at the company's Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street). The limited engagement is currently scheduled to play through Friday, December 23.

We never meet young Richie and Lonna, whose marriage is on the rocks. But miles and miles away, in the affluent southwestern suburb where their parents live, this couple's separation is disturbing the tranquility of a community they've barely met. In Dan LeFranc's comedy of anxiety and awkward neighbors, the residents of Rancho Viejo drift from one gathering to the next, wrestling life's grandest themes while fending off existential despair - set against the lustful, yearning strains of a distant bolero.

The production will feature scenic design by Dane Laffrey, costume design by Jessica Pabst, lighting design by Matt Frey and sound design by Tony Award winner Leon Rothenberg. Animals by Tony Award-winning William Berloni Theatrical Animals. Production stage manager is Kyle Gates.

RANCHO VIEJO was commissioned by Playwrights Horizons with the support of the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust. Special thanks to the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation for its generous support of Rancho Viejo.

Currently in previews at Playwrights Horizons' Peter Jay Sharp Theater is A LIFE, the world premiere of a new play by Obie Award winner Adam Bock, directed by two-time Obie Award winner Anne Kauffman (opening October 24). Following A LIFE and Rancho Viejo, the 2016/2017 Season will continue with THE LIGHT YEARS, the world premiere of a new play written by Drama Desk Award winner Hannah Bos and Obie Award winner Paul Thureen, directed and developed by Obie Award winner Oliver Butler, made by The Debate Society (previews begin February 17); THE PROFANE, the world premiere of a new play by Zayd Dohrn, directed by Kip Fagan (previews begin March 17) and BELLA: AN AMERICAN TALL TALE, the co-world premiere of a new musical with book, music and lyrics by Obie Award winner Kirsten Childs, directed by two-time Obie Award winner Robert O'Hara and commissioned by Playwrights Horizons through the Musicals in Partnership Initiative with funds provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (previews begin May 19). This production is currently being staged at Dallas Theatre Center through October 22.

Subscription packages to Playwrights Horizons' 2016/2017 Season are now on sale: 5-show Subscription beginning with A LIFE ($240, three Mainstage and two Peter Jay Sharp productions); FlexPass (4+ tickets, $55 per ticket); and Membership ($60 membership fee + one ticket at $45 for each show, as desired). The company will continue to offer 30&Under Membership (no upfront membership fee + one $25 ticket for each show, as desired); and Student Membership (no upfront membership fee + one $15 ticket for each show, as desired). In addition to discounts on all season productions, season package holders receive priority booking and seating, ticket exchange privileges, parking and dining discounts, and exclusive mailings of Playwrights Horizons bulletins. Packages are available at www.phnyc.org now.

Patron Program Memberships begin at $1,500 (all but $550 is tax-deductible) and include two reserved house seats and personalized concierge service to all six Playwrights Horizons productions, and as well as a variety of exclusive benefits including invitations to attend special events with artists, staff and board members. Complete benefit list at www.phnyc.org.

Playwrights Horizons' season productions are generously supported in part by The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Playwrights Horizons is supported in part by public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. In addition, Playwrights Horizons receives major support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, the Peter Jay Sharp Foundation and the Time Warner Foundation.

Dan LeFranc (Playwright). Playwrights Horizons: The Big Meal (also American Theatre Company, HighTide Festival UK) and he was the theater company's first Playwright-in-Residence (2012-2015). His other plays include Bruise Easy (American Theater Company), Troublemaker (commissioned and produced by Berkeley Rep), Sixty Miles to Silver Lake (Soho Rep., P73), Origin Story, In the Labyrinth and Night Surf. LeFranc received the 2011 Helen Merrill Playwriting Award, the 2010 New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award and the John C. Russell Fellowship. For television, he wrote for Showtime's Golden Globe Award-winning drama series "The Affair" and the Steve McQueen limited series for HBO, "Codes of Conduct." LeFranc teaches at the Yale School of Drama.

Daniel Aukin (Director). Playwrights Horizons: Melissa James Gibson's Placebo and This. A three-time Obie Award winner, his work includes the recent acclaimed revival of Fool for Love by Sam Shepard at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman (also Williamstown Theatre Festival), The Fortress of Solitude (Dallas Theater Center, The Public Theater), Joshua Harmon's Bad Jews (Roundabout), Melissa James Gibson's What Rhymes with America (The Atlantic), Sam Shepard's Heartless (Signature), Amy Herzog's 4000 Miles (Lincoln Center Theater), Marius von Mayenburg's The Ugly One (Soho Rep.), Itamar Moses' Back Back Back (MTC), Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge (Arena Stage) and Elmer Rice's The Adding Machine (La Jolla Playhouse). As Artistic Director of Soho Rep. (1998-2006), premieres of new work include Mark Schultz's Everything Will Be Different, Melissa James Gibson's Suitcase and [sic], Mac Wellman's Cat's-Paw, Quincy Long's The Year of the Baby and Maria Irene Fornes' Molly's Dream. He teaches in the Directing Program at The New School for Drama.

Ruth Aguilar (Anita). Playwrights Horizons debut. Off-Broadway: The Orientation (Primary Stages). New York Theater: HodgePodge, Into the Glades, Something Outrageous, Etta Jenks, Unmerciful Good Fortune, Postcards, Lovers and Other Strangers, Murder Mysteries Inc. TV: "The Hunt" (CNN), "My Crazy Love" (NBC), "Famous Murders" (Discovery Channel). Extensive voiceover, narration and audio book work in both English and Spanish. Jazz performance with the Rita Aguilar Jazz Trio.

Mark Blum (Pete). Playwrights Horizons: After the Revolution, Little Footsteps, Gus and Al (Obie Award), Table Settings, Say Goodnight Gracie. Broadway: The Assembled Parties, The Best Man, Twelve Angry Men, A Thousand Clowns, Lost in Yonkers. Other Off-Broadway: The Model Apartment, The Good Mother, Lonely I'm Not, We Live Here, Picked, Singing Forest, The Long Christmas Ride Home, The Waverly Gallery, Mizlanski Zilinski, It's Only a Play, Key Exchange. Film/TV: Desperately Seeking Susan, Crocodile Dundee, Blind Date, "Mozart in the Jungle."

Bill Buell (Mike). Playwrights Horizons: Kin, On the Bum, Violet (anniversary concert). Broadway: Cyrano, Equus, The History Boys, Inherit the Wind, Urinetown, 42nd Street, Titanic, Tommy, Taking Steps, Big River, Annie, Once a Catholic. Other Off-Broadway: Indian Ink, Tartuffe, The Winter's Tale, Twelfth Night. Film: God's Pocket, Across the Universe, Spy Game, Welcome to the Dollhouse, The Love Letter, Requiem for a Dream, Quiz Show, Kinsey. TV: "Elementary," "Blue Bloods," "John Adams," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Law & Order," Boardwalk Empire."

Ethan Dubin (Taters). Playwrights Horizons debut. Off-Broadway: Shear Madness. Regional: John Guare's adaptation of His Girl Friday (Barrington Stage); The Twins Would Like to Say Hi (Steppenwolf); En Route (Chicago Shakespeare Theater); The Whale (Adirondack Theatre Festival); Sleep Rock, 27 Ways I Didn't Say Hi, A Christmas Carol, Dracula (Actors Theatre of Louisville).

Julia Duffy (Patti). Playwrights Horizons debut. Broadway: Once in a Lifetime. Regional: The Enchanted (Kennedy Center); Curse of the Starving Class, Three Sisters (St. Louis Rep); Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (Huntington Theatre, IRNE Award nom); The Heiress, Little Foxes (Pasadena Playhouse). Film: Intolerable Cruelty. TV: "Newhart (seven-time Emmy nominee, Golden Globe and American Comedy Award noms.), "Designing Women," HBO's "Looking," Showtime's "Shameless," "The Blue and The Gray," "Romeo and Juliet" (PBS), "Key and Peele," "Scream Queens."

Tyrone Mitchell Henderson (Leon). Playwrights Horizons debut. Broadway: Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk. Off-Broadway: The America Play, Two Noble Kinsmen, The Tempest (Public Theatre) Piano Lesson (Signature Theatre) The Public Sings(City Center). Regional: Aubergine, Intelligent Homosexuals Guide... (Berkeley Rep); The Winter's Tale, Piano Lesson (Yale Rep); Jitney (ATL); Radio Golf. TV: "Elementary," "House of Cards," "Orange Is the New Black," "Boardwalk Empire," "Law & Order." Founder: Quick Silver Theater Company (Audelco nomination).

Lusia Strus (Suzanne). Playwrights Horizons: The Retributionists. Broadway: Elling, Enron. Regional: A Confederacy of Dunces (Huntington); Good People, Hysteria, Our Town, It Ain't No Fairy Tale (Steppenwolf); Big Love, A Pirate's Lullaby(Goodman); Travesties, Are You There McPhee? (McCarter); Henry IV (RSC); Merry Wives of Windsor, Love's Labour's Lost (Chicago Shakespeare Theater). Film: Restless, Fifty First Dates, Miss Congeniality 2. TV: "Good Behavior," "Modern Family," "Blue Bloods," "Crossing Jordan," "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide."

Mare Winningham (Mary). Playwrights Horizons: After the Revolution. Broadway: Casa Valentina (Tony nom.), Picnic. Other Off-Broadway: Her Requiem, Tribes (Lortel nom.); 10 Million Miles (Lortel Award). Film: Georgia (Academy Award nom.); Turner and Hooch; Wyatt Earp; St. Elmo's Fire; Mirror, Mirror; Philomena, upcoming The Seagull. TV: two Emmy Awards and eight total nominations, most recently for HBO's "MildrEd Pierce" and History Channel's "Hatfields & McCoys." Recurring roles on "American Horror Story" and Showtime's "The Affair."

Mark Zeisler (Gary). Playwrights Horizons debut. Broadway: A View From the Bridge. Off Broadway: Piece of my Heart, eurydice, The Sex Lives of our Parents, The Accomplices. Regional: American Repertory Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Yale Rep, Berkeley Rep, The Goodman, The McCarter, Seattle Rep, The BAM Next Wave Festival. Film: Pervertigo, Random Hearts. Television: "The Blacklist," "House of Cards," "Elementary," "The Good Wife," "Rescue Me," "Blue Bloods," "Unforgettable," "The Americans," "Law & Order."

Playwrights Horizons is dedicated to cultivating the most important American Playwrights, composers and lyricists, as well as developing and producing their bold new plays and musicals. Under Artistic Director Tim Sanford and Managing Director Leslie Marcus, Playwrights builds upon its diverse and renowned body of work, counting 400 writers among its artistic roster. In addition to its onstage work each season, Playwrights' singular commitment to nurturing American theater artists guides all of the institution's multifaceted initiatives: our acclaimed New Works Lab, a robust commissioning program, an innovative curriculum at its Theater School and more. Playwrights has been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including six Pulitzer Prizes, 13 Tony Awards and 39 Obie Awards. Prior artistic directors include André Bishop, Don Scardino and Robert Moss, who founded Playwrights Horizons in 1971 and oversaw its first decade, cementing the mission that continues to guide the institution today.

Notable productions include six Pulitzer Prize winners - Annie Baker's The Flick (2013 Obie Award, 2013 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize), Bruce Norris's Clybourne Park (2012 Tony Award, Best Play), Doug Wright's I Am My Own Wife (2004 Tony Award, Best Play), Wendy Wasserstein's The Heidi Chronicles (1989 Tony Award, Best Play), Alfred Uhry's Driving Miss Daisy and Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Sunday in the Park with George - as well as Ms. Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation(three 2010 Obie Awards including Best New American Play); Lisa D'Amour's Detroit (2013 Obie Award, Best New American Play); Samuel D. Hunter's The Whale (2013 Lortel Award, Best Play); Kirsten Greenidge's Milk Like Sugar (2012 Obie Award); Jordan Harrison's Marjorie Prime (2015 Pulitzer finalist); Lucas Hnath's The Christians (2016 Obie Award, 2016 Outer Critics Circle Award, 2015 Kesselring Prize); Robert O'Hara's Bootycandy (two 2015 Obie Awards); Taylor Mac's Hir; Danai Gurira's Familiar; Anne Washburn's Mr. Burns, a post-electric play; Sarah Ruhl's Stage Kiss and Dead Man's Cell Phone; Gina Gionfriddo's Rapture, Blister, Burn; Dan LeFranc's The Big Meal; Amy Herzog's The Great God Pan and After the Revolution; Bathsheba Doran's Kin; Adam Bock's A Small Fire; Edward Albee's Me, Myself & I; Melissa James Gibson's This (2010 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize finalist); Doug Wright, Scott Frankel and Michael Korie's Grey Gardens (three 2007 Tony Awards); Craig Lucas's Prayer For My Enemy and Small Tragedy (2004 Obie Award, Best American Play); Adam Rapp's Kindness; Lynn Nottage's Fabulation (2005 Obie Award for Playwriting); Kenneth Lonergan's Lobby Hero; David Greenspan's She Stoops to Comedy (2003 Obie Award); Kirsten Childs's The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin (2000 Obie Award); Richard Nelson and Shaun Davey's James Joyce's The Dead (2000 Tony Award, Best Book); Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's Assassins; William Finn's March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland; Christopher Durang's Betty's Summer Vacation and Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You; Richard Nelson's Goodnight Children Everywhere; Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty'sOnce on This Island; Jon Robin Baitz's The Substance of Fire; Scott McPherson's Marvin's Room; A.R. Gurney's Later Life; Adam Guettel and Tina Landau's Floyd Collins; and Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley's Violet.

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