Breaking News: The Yankees Are Coming to Broadway! BRONX BOMBERS Take Circle in the Square; Scolari & Shayne Join Cast

Producers Fran Kirmser and Tony Ponturo announced today that Bronx Bombers, a new American play written and directed by Eric Simonson, will begin performances on Broadway starting January 10, 2014 at Circle in the Square Theater (235 West 50th Street). The official opening is February 6, 2014. Tickets are now on sale at the box office and Telecharge.com.

"We are excited to bring the legacy of The New York Yankees and their proud tradition to the equally proud tradition of the Broadway Theater", said Fran Kirmser.

Peter Scolari, last seen on Broadway as Michael Daly in Lucky Guy will take on the role of America's icon Yogi Berra. He was the co-star of the Emmy Award-winning television series "Bosom Buddies" and "Newhart." Scolari can currently be seen on HBO's "Girls." Scolari's wife Tracy Shayne will take on the role of Carmen Berra. She returns to Broadway following performances as Roxie Hart in Chicago, Cosette in Les Miserables and multiple roles in A Chorus Line.

The cast also features Francois Battiste (Reggie Jackson), Chris Henry Coffey (Joe DiMaggio), Bill Dawes (Mickey Mantle), Christopher Jackson (Derek Jeter), Keith Nobbs (Billy Martin), John Wernke (Lou Gehrig) and C.J. Wilson (Babe Ruth).

The design team includes Beowulf Borritt (Sets), David C. Woolard (Costumes), Jason Lyons (Lights) and Lindsay Jones (Original Music & Sound).

"Generations of Yankees fans have been part of the winning tradition since their early childhood. Their emotional commitment and passion will be fully realized as they experience this play and sit with The Players who forged that history," said Tony Ponturo.

Joining Kirmser and Ponturo as special producing partner is the New York Yankees and Major League Baseball marking these organizations first foray on Broadway.

Ruth. Berra. Mantle. DiMaggio. Gehrig. Jeter. The New York Yankees have never had a shortage of star players... or controversy. Bronx Bombers is a new American play from the team behind Broadway's Lombardi that follows beloved icon Yogi Berra and his wife Carmen through a century of the team's trials and triumphs, bringing generations of Yankee greats together on one stage. As it celebrates and explores the timeless legacy of baseball's most iconic team, Bronx Bombers takes a fascinating look at how and why the Yankees have remained so undeniably great... and so powerfully inspirational.

Bronx Bombers is the third work in a sports series for the stage conceived by producer Fran Kirmser. This is also the third work in the series where Tony Ponturo has brought major sports leagues to the theatre. Kirmser & Ponturo strive to build new original works and bring new patrons to experience the magic of the stage initially by combining the drama of sports and theater through Kirmser Ponturo Group. Lombardi and Magic/Bird were the first two productions of that vision. Bronx Bombers is the third production.

Prior to an engagement at Primary Stages, Bronx Bombers received a summer workshop at the Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival in Steamboat Springs, CO.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Performance schedule from January 10 - February 6:

Tuesday - Saturday at 8PM, Wednesday & Saturday at 2PM and Sunday at 3PM.

Performance schedule beginning February 7:

Tuesday - Thursday at 7PM, Friday & Saturday at 8PM, Wednesday & Saturday at 2PM and Sunday at 3PM.

Exceptions to the regular performance schedule:

There will be no 2PM performances on Wednesday, January 15 and February 12

There will be 3PM and 7PM performances on Sunday, January 19 and February 16

The Sunday, February 2 performance will be at 2PM

TICKET INFORMATION:

Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning today, October 21, 2013.

Tickets will be available by calling 212-239-6200 and TeleCharge online.

The box office at the Circle in the Square Theatre (235 West 50th Street) will open December 13, 2013. Box office hours are 10AM-6PM daily.

For group sales of 10 or more, please contact: Groups@BronxBombers.com

Premium tickets are available by calling 212-239-6200, TeleCharge online and at the Circle in the Square Theatre (235 West 50th Street). Box office hours are 10AM-6PM daily.

Tickets range in price from $67.00-$137.00.

BIOGRAPHIES:

Peter Scolari (Yogi Berra). TV: Emmy Award winner for "Newhart" (three Emmy nominations), also "Bosom Buddies", "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," "The West Wing," "E.R.," "Family Ties," "White Collar," "King of Queens," "Reba," "Ally McBeal," "From the Earth to the Moon" (HBO), "Stop the World, I Want to Get Off" (Showtime). Film: That Thing You Do, Polar Express, Suburban Girl, Camp Nowhere, The Ryan White Story. Broadway/NY: Hairspray, Sly Fox, Magic/Bird, Out of This World, Ziegfeld Follies of 1937 (City Center Encores!), Lucky Guy, and the World premieres of Daniel Sullivan's Inspecting Carol and Ken Ludwig's Fox on The Fairway. Winner, Best Actor, Berkshire Theater Festival for The Foreigner. Film Critic's Award Nom. Best Featured Actor for "Girls" (HBO).

Francois Battiste (Reggie Jackson/ Elston Howard) Broadway: Prelude to a Kiss (Roundabout), Magic/Bird. Off-Broadway: Detroit '67 (Public), Broke-ology (Lincoln Center), The Good Negro (Public Theatre, OBIE Award), The Winter's Tale (Delacorte), The Merchant of Venice (Delacorte), Ten Things to do Before I Die (Second Stage). Regional: Williamstown, Sundance, Goodman, Chicago Shakespeare, Lookingglass, Victory Gardens, Dallas Theatre Center. Selected TV/Film: "The Good Wife," "Person of Interest," "Are We There Yet?" HBO's The Normal Heart, Men in Black III, You Bury Your Own. Founding member of The Collective Theatre Co. in Chicago.

Chris Henry Coffey (Joe DiMaggio) is pleased to be making his Primary Stages debut. Most recently he was seen in A.R. Gurney's The Dining Room at the Westport Country Playhouse, directed by Mark Lamos and in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Water by the Spoonful at Second Stage, directed by Davis McCallum. Most recent film and TV credits include The Little Tin Man (which will release 2013) and Epilogue (which premiered at Tribeca FF 2013). Also Neil LaBute's BFF and David Schwimmer's feature Trust. Recurring roles on "Law & Order: CI", guest-stars on "The Good Wife", "Cupid", "Law & Order", and others. Coffey is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama.

Bill Dawes (Mickey Mantle/ Thurman Munson) Bill's last play was Lombardi on Broadway. On TV, Bill has recently guest starred on "Criminal Minds," "Rizzoli & Isles" & "Law & Order." He's appeared in several independent films including I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, Adam, and Evenhand. As a comic, Bill is a staple at the Hollywood Laugh Factory, a regular headliner at The Tropicana in Las Vegas, and is currently part of The Leatherneck Tour performing on Marine bases throughout the world. He has also toured Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the USO.

Christopher Jackson (Derek Jeter) Broadway: Memphis, In The Heights, The Lion King. Off-Broadway: The Jammer, Cotton Club Parade, Lonely I'm Not, In The Heights. TV: "A Gifted Man," "White Collar," "Nurse Jackie," "Gossip Girl," "Fringe," "Oz." Film: Tracers. Charter member of the Hip-Hop/Improv comedy group, Freestyle Love Supreme. Emmy award-winning composer and lyricist for collaboration with Will.I.AM for Outstanding Original Song. Jackson was co-music director for the Emmy Winning PBS Show, "The Electric Company" and composed music for "Sesame Street". Solo album: In the Name of Love.

Keith Nobbs (Billy Martin) Broadway: Lombardi, The Lion in Winter. Off-Broadway: The Tutors, The Great God Pan, Lemon Sky, Dog Sees God, Romance, Dublin Carol, Triple Happiness, Four (Lortel Award, Drama Desk nom.), The Hasty Heart, Free to Be You and Me, Hope is the Thing with Feathers, Fuddy Meers, Stupid Kids. Television: "Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight" (upcoming), "The Pacific," "The Black Donnellys" (series regular) and others. Film: The Bad Guys, Weakness, Phone Booth, 25th Hour, Double Whammy and others. Graduate of LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts.

Tracy Shayne (Carmen Berra). A Broadway veteran, Tracy was hired as a teen by Michael Bennett to play Bebe in A Chorus Line, and she later replaced the original Cosette in Les Miserables. Tracy was then cast by Mr. Hal Prince to play Christine in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway until its celebrated 10th year anniversary. She has played Roxie Hart in Chicago on Broadway, on national tour and internationally. She originated the role of Martha in a World Premiere of Missing Footage, by Gen LeRoy at The Old Globe Theater, and played Sunny Jacobs in the Regional Premiere of The Exonerated. Ms. Shayne starred as Marion Froude in the off-Broadway revival of the S.N. Behrman classic Biography at the Mint Theater. Her selected television credits include guest-starring roles on the original "Law and Order," and later on "Law and Order, Criminal Intent." She was featured in "Kennedy Center Honors, A Tribute to Hal Prince," and as a Principal Dancer in "Baryshnikov on Broadway." Ms. Shayne is a select soloist on the Grammy-winning International symphonic recording of Les Miserables as Cosette, which she performed with The London Philharmonic Orchestra. Most recently she completed work on Jerome's Bouquet, a short film directed by Bebe Neuwirth.

John Wernke (Lou Gehrig) - Broadway: The American Plan, The Lyons, Accent On Youth, The Royal Family. Off Broadway: Cactus Flower, Ten Chimneys, A Little Journey. Regional: American Conservatory Theater, Ma-Yi Theater, Portland Center Stage, Capital Repertory, People's Light and Theater, Two River Theater. Film/TV: The Good Shepherd, Broken English, "Life On Mars," "NYC Serenade." BFA Boston University.

C. J. Wilson (Babe Ruth). Primary Stages: Happy Now? (Lucille Lortel nom.) Broadway: The Big Knife, Glengarry Glen Ross, A Steady Rain, Festen, Henry IV, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Gore Vidal's The Best Man. Off-Broadway: Medieval Play, The Lady from Dubuque (Signature); All-American (LCT 3); Offices, The Voysey Inheritance (Atlantic Theater); Race (Jewish Rep); Stop Kiss (Public). Regional: Berkshire Theatre Group, Williamstown, Wilma, Old Globe, McCarter, ACT in Seattle, Shakespeare Theatre, Hartford Stage, Syracuse Stage, Chautauqua, Acting Company. Film: The Magic of Belle Isle, Ghoul, Campfire Stories. Television: "The Good Wife," "The Americans," "Blue Bloods," "Pan Am," "Onion Sportsdome," "Without A Trace," "Law & Order," "Law & Order: SVU," "Law & Order: CI," "Third Watch," "Amsterdam," "Fox Fellow."

Eric Simonson (Playwright/Director). Broadway: Lombardi; Magic/Bird; Song of Jacob Zulu (Tony nomination). Plays and adaptations: Fake; Honest; Speak American; Slaughterhouse-five; Carter's Way; Work Song (with Jeffrey Hatcher); Bang the Drum Slowly. Productions at Steppenwolf, Huntington, City Theatre of Pittsburgh, Eye of God, Milwaukee Rep, Arizona Theatre, Kansas City Rep, Kennedy Center, and Next in Chicago, among others. Films and documentaries: Listening to America (Emmy nomination); A Note of Triumph (Oscar win); Gentle Steps to Freedom (Oscar nomination); Hamlet (co-directed with Campbell Scott).; Princess Grace Statue winner; IDA Distinguished Achievement Award; Frankel Award winner; Company member of Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago.

Fran Kirmser (Conceived by, Producer). Broadway: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Tony Award Best Play Revival, Drama Desk, OCC), GlenGarry Glenn Ross, Lombardi, Magic/Bird, Hair (Tony Award Best Musical Revival, Drama Desk, OCC), August Wilson's Radio Golf (Tony Nominee Best Play, Drama Desk, OCC). Off-Broadway: Founding member Manhattan Theatre Source, produced theatrical and fine arts programs at Lincoln Center Festival, Duke on 42nd Street, Theater Row Theaters among others.

Tony Ponturo (Producer). Broadway: Lombardi (NFL), Magic/Bird (NBA), Memphis (Tony Award Best Musical, Drama Desk, OCC), Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Tony Award Best Play Revival, Drama Desk, OCC) GlenGarry Glenn Ross. Inductee Broadcast Hall of Fame for his innovation in sports media.

KIRMSER PONTURO GROUP is a multi-dimensional company that explores a series of entertainment, sports, media, and consulting projects. The work ranges from Broadway Theater Productions to sports marketing sponsorships. Kirmser and Ponturo are leaders who support the fine arts and performing arts. www.KirmserPonturo.com