Denver Center Theatre's 09/10 Season Opens With THE VOYSEY INHERITANCE And A RAISIN IN THE SUN

The Denver Center Theatre Company opens the 2009 2010 Season with two classic dramas - one with special relevancy to the nation's current economic crisis in David Mamet's adaptation of The Voysey Inheritance by Harley Granville-Barker and one celebrating the bruised but undaunted search for the American dream in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun.

The Voysey Inheritance by Harley Granville-Barker Adapted by David Mamet Directed by Bruce K. Sevy

September 18 - October 24, 2009 (Opening Thursday, September 24) The Space Theatre

Greed, guilt and high-level financial corruption are subjects frequently discussed and viewed by today's media-savvy Americans. In David Mamet's acclaimed recent adaptation of The Voysey Inheritance, Edward Voysey discovers that the business and wealth he will inherit upon his father's death were accumulated through a Ponzi-like scheme. Edward's ethical battle becomes whether to perpetuate his father's scheme and provide some restitution to the victims or to blow the whistle and bring the blue-chip business crashing down. What makes this play so highly entertaining to contemporary audiences is that Harley Granville-Barker wrote the original script for The Voysey Inheritance not in 2009 but in 1905 - years before these pyramid schemes were tagged with the Ponzi moniker and a century before the shocking Bernie Madoff scandal became breaking news on CNN.

Associate Artistic Director Bruce K. Sevy (A Prayer for Owen Meany, Doubt) directs The Voysey Inheritance. Designing the Voysey estate in Chislehurst, England are Scenic Designer Lisa M. Orzolek (The Trip to Bountiful, Gee's Bend, Third), Costume Designer Bill Black (A Prayer for Owen Meany, Dusty and the Big Bad World, Doubt), Lighting Designer Jane Spencer (Sunsets and Margaritas, Doubt, The Pillowman) and Sound Designer Jason Ducat (Radio Golf, Dusty and the Big Bad World, Glengarry GLen Ross). The dialect coach is Kathryn G. Maes (Dusty and the Big Bad World, A Christmas Carol, The Diary of Anne Frank) and the dramaturg is Douglas Langworthy (Sunsets and Margaritas, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Inana).

The cast includes company members Sam Gregory (Noises Off, Doubt) as Edward Voysey, Philip Pleasants (A Christmas Carol, Plainsong) as Mr. Voysey, Kathleen M. Brady (Quilters, The Trip to Bountiful) as Mrs. Voysey, Jeanne Paulsen (A Prayer for Owen Meany, Doubt) as Honor Voysey, John Hutton (A Prayer for Owen Meany, Richard III) as Major Booth Voysey, Rebecca Martin (A Prayer for Owen Meany) as Ethel Voysey and Randy Moore (A Prayer for Owen Meany, The Trip to Bountiful) as Peacey. They are joined by returning actors Robert Sicular (The Tempest, The Rivals) as Trenchard Voysey and Reverend Evan Colpus, and Michael Winters (The Cherry Orchard, A Lie of the Mind) as Mr. George Booth. Making their Denver Center debuts are Shawn Fagan (Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Dallas Theatre Center) as Hugh Voysey and Dana Acheson (Lincoln Center, NY Musical Festival) as Alice Maitland.

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry Directed by Israel Hicks

October 1 - 31, 2009 (Opening Thursday, October 8) The Stage Theatre

"There is simply no reason why dreams should dry up like raisins or prunes or anything else in America," wrote Lorraine Hansberry becoming the first African American woman to have a play produced on Broadway with her breakthrough drama A Raisin in the Sun. Israel Hicks (director of DCTC ten-play August Wilson cycle) returns to the Denver Center to direct this classic and moving exploration of individual expressions of the American dream on Chicago's Southside.

Father's $10,000 life insurance settlement inspires three generations of the inner-city Younger family to dream of very different ways to spend the money. Mama dreams of living in a better neighborhood, her daughter plans to go to medical school and her son intends to buy into a liquor store.

Transporting the audience to the Younger's apartment in Chicago are Scenic Designer Michael Ganio (Radio Golf, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Seven Guitars), Costume Designer David Kay Mickelsen (Radio Golf, Gem of the Ocean, The Madwoman), Lighting Designer Charles R. MacLeod (Radio Golf, Dusty and the Big Bad World, The Miracle Worker) and Sound Designer Craig Breitenbach (Quilters, A Prayer for Owen Meany, A Christmas Carol).

Members of the Denver Center acting company in the cast include Kim Staunton (Radio Golf, Doubt) as Ruth Younger, Dawn Scott (A Prayer for Owen Meany) as Beneatha Younger, Harvy Blanks (Radio Golf, Gem of the Ocean) as Bobo, Mike Hartman (Glengary GLen Ross, Plainsong) as Karl Lindner, and Sean Lyons (A Prayer for Owen Meany) as a moving man. Returning to Denver Center stages are Marlene Warfield (Gem of the Ocean, King Hedley II) as Lena Younger and Tyee Tilghman (The Merry Wives of Windsor) as George Murchison. Appearing for the first time at DCTC are Russell Hornsby (Ebony Repertory Theatre, Signature Theatre Company) as Walter Lee Younger (this is a change), Sheldon Woodley (The Juilliard School) as Joseph Asagai, Cajardo Rameer Lindsey (Shadow Theatre Company, The Arvada Center) as a moving man and Tyler Palmer (Denver Center Theatre Academy) as Travis Younger.

Tickets and Subscriptions

New and renewing subscribers may reserve their subscriptions now by calling 303.893.6030. TTY (303) 893-9582.

Single tickets for all performances this season start at $18 (some restrictions may apply) and are on sale now. The Denver Center Box Office located in the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex is open from 10am to 6pm Monday through Saturday. To purchase tickets by phone call (303) 893-4100 - for those outside the Denver calling area, 1 (800) 641-1222, TTY (303) 893-9582. Buy and print tickets on-line by visiting www.denvercenter.org.

Student $10 rush ticket are available one hour prior to curtain with a valid student ID subject to availability.

Groups of 10+ contact 303.446.4829 or groupsales@dcpa.org

No children under six will be admitted to any theatre.

Performance Schedule

Stage, Space and Ricketson Theatres

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday performances at 6:30pm

Friday and Saturday evening performances at 7:30pm

Saturday and Sunday matinees at 1:30pm

Perspective on the Play

Complimentary pre-show discussion.

The Voysey Inheritance, Friday, September 18 at 6:00pm, The Jones Theatre

Buie Seawell, Professor of Business Ethics and Legal Studies for the University of Denver's Daniels College of Business.

A Raisin in the Sun, Friday, October 2 at 6:00pm, The Jones Theatre

Terry Nelson from the Blair-Caldwell African American

Research Library and Dr. Marilynn Lewis.

Accessibility- The Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex is fully accessible to persons with disabilities. Cordless headsets are available for patrons with hearing impairments at Patron Services.

Audio-described and ASL Interpreted Performances- The Voysey Inheritance, Saturday, October 24 at 1:30pm, A Raisin in the Sun, Saturday, October 31 at 1:30pm

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