Elena Rogers Set for Donmar Warehouse's PASSION in 2010

Argentine stage star Elena Rogers is confirmed to star in the Donmar Warehouse's production of Sondheim's Passion, as she revealed yesterday on the Susana Gimenez Show. The Susana Gimenez Show is Argentina's highest rated variety show. As previously reported, the Donmar Warehouse will be celebrating 80 years of Sondheim with a special production of the legend's 1994 Passion in the Spring of 2010.

The production will be directed by Donmar associate director Jamie Lloyd. 

Additional Winter/Spring productions presented by Donmar include the previously announced Serenading Louie by Lanford Wilson, running from February 11 (previews) to March 27 2010 with an opening night on February 16.  This production follows Red, currently in rehearsals. Serenading Louis accounts for two suburban American couples, friends since college, Carl and Alex, coming of age as they transition from their twenties to their thirties. A regional tour will follow this production.

This production will be followed by playwriting newcomer Mark Haddon's Polar Bears, about a man who falls madly in love with a mentally ill woman.  Haddon is the author of the multi award-winning novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. Jamie Lloyd will direct.   

Passion will close out the season in the late spring as the focus of many events to be announced surrounding Sondheim's 80 birthday celebration.

The Donmar continues to extend its work overseas - the critically acclaimed production of Strindberg's Creditors, directed by Alan Rickman, opens in the spring at the Brooklyn Academy Of Music, and Four Quartets - from the company's T.S. Eliot Festival - will play at the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York as part of the Lincoln Center's Great Performers Season. Hamlet - the final production of the Donmar West End season - is currently running on Broadway, Parade opened recently in Los Angeles and Piaf continues its run in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Artistic Director Michael Grandage said today: "As part of our new spring season, the Donmar will present two world premieres and a rare revival as well as taking our work out on a tour of the U.K. and presenting productions in New York, L.A. and Argentina. There will be seven Donmar productions playing at home and around the world in the coming months.

"I am also delighted to announce that in honour of Stephen Sondheim's long association with the Donmar Warehouse, the theatre will lead the UK celebrations to mark the composer's 80th birthday - Jamie Lloyd will direct a new production of Passion alongside a number of events to acknowledge this very special occasion.

"Following our year long residency at Wyndham's Theatre, we are keen to continue to develop our audience and I feel confident that the work we are announcing today offers something for everyone."

Under the artistic leadership of Michael Grandage, the theatre has presented some of London's most memorable award-winning theatrical experiences, as well as garnered critical acclaim at home and abroad. The theatre has a diverse artistic policy that includes new writing, contemporary reappraisals of European classics, British and American drama and small scale musical theatre. Over the last 16 years the theatre has created reputation associated with artistic excellence: it has showcased the talent of some of the industry's premier creative artists, and built an unparalleled catalogue of work. As well as presenting at least six productions a year at its home in Covent Garden, the Donmar presents work nationally and internationally. Every year the Donmar tours one in-house production in the UK, FROST/NIXON toured across the US and MARY STUART opened on Broadway this spring. The Donmar also undertook a year-long residency in the West End at the Wyndham's Theatre which lead to a Broadway transfer of HAMLET. PARADE has also just opened in L.A and PIAF is playing in Argentina.

Donmar-generated productions have received 35 Olivier Awards, 20 Critics' Circle Awards, 19 Evening Standard Awards, one South Bank Award and 14 Tony Awards from nine Broadway productions.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / Retna Ltd.