Threepenny's Innvar to Direct Barrington Stage Co. Opener

Langley and Homer Collyer - renowned for their New York brownstone packed with 136 tons of collectibles, including 14 pianos, an X-ray machine, chandeliers, a horse-drawn carriage and a labyrinth of newspapers -- bring their bravado, intrigue and clutter to Barrington Stage Company. Mark St. Germain's play, "The Collyer Brothers at Home," features America's most famous recluses and pack rats and begins the company's 12th season with a Stage II production running from May 18 through June 4 at the Berkshire Athenaeum, 1 Wendell Avenue, in Pittsfield.

Directed by Christopher Innvar (currently featured in the Broadway revival of "The Threepenny Opera"), the production stars Brian Smiar (BSC's "Thief River") and Robert Zukerman (BSC's "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "Thief River"). The production is designed by Brian Prather (sets), D. Benjamin Courtney (lights), Guy Lee Bailey (costumes), and Matt Kraus (sound). Renee Lutz is production stage manager.

Based on a true story from the annals of New York City history, "The Collyer Brothers at Home" brings to life the compelling and darkly funny tale of withdrawal, suspicion and eccentric bravado that pits two personalities against the march of time. Companion to "The Collyer Brothers" is the one act play, "Period Piece" featuring two veteran character actors desperately competing for the spotlight. A comedic coupling, both pieces explore extraordinary relationships, the buzz of celebrity and its ultimate price.

"I can remember as a child hearing both my mother and grandmother comparing my brother and me to the Collyer brothers as they opened the door to our bedroom," recalled playwright Mark St. Germain. "Between then and somewhere in my twenties, I learned about the famously reclusive brother packrats and became fascinated with them. It seemed to me that they both courted and shunned the spotlight by barricading themselves in their once elegant home with tons of wonderfully useless objects ranging from dozens of pianos to a horse skeleton. "The Collyer Brothers at Home" is the play that came from my intrigue and "Period Piece" followed, closely connected to the themes of brotherhood and fame. It's wonderfully fitting, and a treat for me, to see it as the first Barrington Stage Production in Pittsfield."

Brian Smiar (Homer Collyer) returns to BSC where he was featured in Lee Blessing's "Thief River." Smiar co-starred in the national tour of Wit with Judith Light and appeared on Broadway in Mixed Emotions with Harold Gould. Among the theaters Brian has appeared at include Playwrights Horizons, Ensemble Studio Theatre, George Street Playhouse, Long Wharf, Virginia Stage Co., Pittsburgh Public and Cincinnati Playhouse. His film credits include "Twelve Conversations," "The Royal Tennenbaums," "Regarding Henry," "The Next Karate Kid," "Shadows and Fog" and "Boss of Bosses."

Robert Zukerman (Langley Collyer) returns to BSC where he previously was featured in "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "Thief River." He has done 20 plays off Broadway, and has worked regionally at Arena Stage, the American Shaw Festival, the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Provincetown Playhouse, and Stageworks Hudson. He toured internationally for AMEX and the USO, and has done radio, television and film work in New York. A former narrator for the Library of Congress, he holds a Ph.D. in Theatre History and has written 5 plays for children.

Mark St. Germain penned BSC's 2004 world premiere of "The God Committee," which recently played at Off-Broadway's Lambs Theatre. His "Ears on a Beatle" which premiered at BSC in 2003, later played at the DR2 Off-Broadway. St. Germain's works includes "Camping with Henry and Tom" (Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Award winner), "Out of Gas on Lover's Leap" and "Forgiving Typhoid Mary" (later revised as "A Plague of Angels"). Mark has written the musicals "The Gifts of the Magi" for Lamb's Theatre in New York City, "Johnny Pye and the Foolkiller" (winner of AT&T's New Plays for the Nineties Award) and "Jack's Holiday" at Playwrights Horizons. St. Germain is an alumnus of New Dramatists where he received the Joe A. Callaway Award, and was given the New Voices in American Theatre Award at the William Inge Theatre Festival in 2001.

Making his BSC directorial debut is Christopher Innvar, who's currently featured as Tiger Brown in the Broadway revival of "The Threepenny Opera." Christopher has starred in BSC's "The Importance of Being Earnest" opposite Tony winner Carole Shelley, the title role in "Cyrano," and opposite Tony winner Sara Ramirez in the world premiere musical, "The Game." Innvar's NYC credits include Javert in the 10th Anniversary of "Les Miserables," King Marchan in "Victor/Victoria," the title role in Adam Guettel's "Floyd Collins," and William Finn's "A New Brain."

Performances, Wednesday through Sunday evening at 7:30pm, with matinees on Sunday at 3pm, will take place at The Berkshire Athenaeum, 1 Wendell Avenue in Pittsfield. Tickets are $25-$30. In celebration of its new home in Pittsfield, BSC will offer $12 tickets for the first two performances on May 18 and May 19. For information, call 413-236-8888 or from South County call 413-528-8888. www.barringtonstageco.org

Barrington Stage Company, a professional award-winning Equity theatre, located in the heart of the Berkshires, in Pittsfield, MA, was co-founded in 1995 by artistic director Julianne Boyd. BSC is committed to presenting new productions of undiscovered musicals and plays, in addition to developing new works for the American Theatre. BSC garnered national attention with William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin's Tony Award-winning musical hit "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," which began as a workshop at BSC in February, 2004, was produced in its world premiere to critical acclaim that summer season, prior to taking New York by storm at Second Stage Theatre and later transferring to Broadway's Circle-in-the-Square Theatre where it is currently running. For more information, log on to www.barringtonstageco.org.

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