Photo Flash: First Look at Michael Shannon and More in TFANA's THE KILLER, Opening Tonight

Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road) plays Berenger in Eugène Ionesco's The Killer in a production that also features Kristine Nielsen, Paul Sparksand Robert Stanton. The Killer is newly translated by Michael Feingold and is directed by Darko Tresnjak (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder). Last produced Off-Broadway in 1960, The Killer is the final production of Theatre for a New Audience's inaugural season at Polonsky Shakespeare Center, 262 Ashland Place. Previews began on, May 17, at 7:30pm for an opening tonight, May 29, and a scheduled run through Sunday, June 29. Below, BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action!

The Killer (in French, Tueur sans gages) was written in 1957 and had its world premiere in Paris in 1959. It is the first of Ionesco's four plays featuring the hapless, inadvertently heroic Everyman-character Berenger (the other three are A Stroll in the Air, Exit the King and his most popular play, Rhinoceros).

In The Killer, Berenger discovers a "radiant city," a kind of utopia near his dismal urban home. It is a perpetually sunny, impeccable, clean place full of marvelous architecture and beautiful gardens. But there is one hitch: a serial murderer has been killing people for so long that the authorities have given up trying to catch him.

The company includes Brendan Averett (Bartender/First Policeman), Stephanie Bunch (Dennie), Benjamin Cole (Ensemble), Liam Craig (The Bum/First Man/The Drunk), Eric Folks (Ensemble), Jonathan Hooks (Ensemble), Kathleen Longazel (Ensemble), Kristine Nielsen (Concierge/Ma Piper), Anastasia Olowin (Ensemble), Frank Paiva (Ensemble), Gregor Paslawsky (Second Old Man), Ryan Quinn (Second Man/Postman/The Killer), James Rees(Ensemble), Michael Shannon (Berenger), Noble Shropshire (First Old Man/Old Gent), Paul Sparks (Edward),Robert Stanton (The Architect), Gordon Tashjian (Second Policeman), Quinn Warren (Ensemble) and Ariel Zuckerman (Ensemble).

Scenery and costumes are by Suttirat Larlarb, lighting by Matthew Richards, and sound by Jane Shaw. Andrew Wadeis the vocal director, Jonathan Kalb is the dramaturg, and Cole Bonenberger is the production stage manager.

Photo Credit: Gerry Goodstein

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