PBD Announces Casting for PICNIC, THE HISTORY BOYS, and LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO THE NIGHT

Palm Beach Dramaworks is pleased to announce casting for its first three productions of the 2015-16 season, which will feature many familiar faces. Individual tickets for the entire season go on sale on Tuesday, September 8. The season opens at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre on October 9 with William Inge's Pulitzer Prize- winning Picnic, in which a group of women confront their loneliness when a handsome stranger drifts into their small Kansas town.

The cast features Kelly Gibson as the beautiful Madge Owens; Patti Gardner as her mother, Flo Owens; Maren Searle, making her PBD debut, as Madge's younger sister, Millie; Merlin Huff, in his PBD debut, as the drifter, Hal Carter; Taylor Miller, also making his PBD debut, as Madge's boyfriend, Alan Seymour; Elizabeth Dimon as the Owens' neighbor, Helen Potts; Margery Lowe as Rosemary Sidney, a schoolteacher; and Michael McKeever as Rosemary's boyfriend, Howard Bevans. Rounding out the cast are Julie Rowe, Natalia Coego, and newcomer Riley Anthony. The role of Millie Owens, Madge's younger sister, has not yet been filled. Picnic is directed by William Hayes, with Paula Bennett as assistant director. The production runs through November 8.

The season continues on December 4 with The History Boys, Alan Bennett's Tony Award-winning play about an unconventional teacher and the impact he has on eight students preparing for their Oxford and Cambridge entrance exams. Colin McPhillamy plays Hector, the maverick teacher; Rob Donohoe is the Headmaster; Cliff Burgess plays Irwin, a cynical teacher brought in to coach the boys for their exams; and Angie Radosh is Mrs. Lintott, also a teacher. Their students, all new to PBD, are played by John Evans Reese, Daniel Emond, Nathan Stark, Colin Asercion, Jelani Alladin, Kristian Bikic, Mike Magliocca, and Matthew Minor. J. Barry Lewis directs the play, which runs through January 3.

Up next on January 29 is Long Day's Journey Into Night, Eugene O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize-winning, semi-autobiographical masterwork. The cast features Dennis Creaghan as James Tyrone, the family patriarch; Joy Franz as his wife, Mary; John Leonard Thompson as their older son, James Tyrone, Jr. (Jamie), Michael Stewart Allen as Edmund, an aspiring writer who is 10 years younger than his brother (PBD debut); and Katie Fabel as Cathleen, a household servant. William Hayes directs, with assistant direction by Paul Stancato. The production runs through February 28.

Casting for Outside Mullingar by John Patrick Shanley and Satchmo at the Waldorf by Terry Teachout will be announced at a later date. Outside Mullingar runs from March 25-April 24, and Satchmo concludes the season from May 13 to June 12. Palm Beach Dramaworks is a non-profit, professional theatre and is a member of the Theatre Communications Group, the South Florida Theatre League, Florida Professional Theatres Association, and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County.

The performance schedule for all plays except Long Day's Journey Into Night is as follows: Evening performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 8PM, and select Sundays at 7PM. Matinee performances are on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2PM. Long Day's Journey also plays Wednesday through Sunday, but matinees are at 1PM and evening performances are at 7:30PM. In addition, The History Boys plays a special schedule beginning in mid-December because of the holidays. Check the website or call the box office for details.

Individual tickets are $64, with specially priced preview tickets at $44 and Opening Night tickets at $79. Student tickets are available for $10; tickets for educators are half price with proper ID (other restrictions apply). Group rates for 20 or more and discounted season subscriptions are also available.

The Don & Ann Brown Theatre is located in the heart of downtown West Palm Beach, at 201 Clematis Street. For ticket information contact the box office at (561) 514-4042, or visit www.palmbeachdramaworks.org.

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