Deridre O'Connell Joins THE VANDAL at the Flea

The Flea Theater announced today that Obie and Drama Desk Award winner Deirdre O'Connell has joined the cast of World Premiere of THE VANDAL by Hamish Linklater (TV's The New Adventures of Old Christine). This limited Off-Broadway engagement begins previews January 18 with opening slated for January 31. Tickets start at $45 and can be purchased online at www.theflea.org or by calling 212-352-3101.

Set in Kingston, New York, THE VANDAL is a startling, funny and dark new play about a woman and a boy who meet at a bus stop on a cold night and the stories they tell to keep each other warm.

The play also features Zach Grenier and Noah Robbins, with Jim Simpson, The Flea's founder and Artistic Director at the directing helm. O'Connell is no stranger to her role as she performed a staged reading of the play while it was in development. Holly Hunter, who was originally slated to perform, had to withdraw from the production due to scheduling conflicts.

The design team features David M. Barber (Set Designer), Brian Aldous (Lighting Designer), Claudia Brown (Costume Designer) and Brandon Wolcott (Sound Designer).

Deirdre O'Connell is a 2010 Obie and Drama Desk-winner for Circle Mirror Transformation. This distinguished New York stage actress was seen recently in Magic/Bird on Broadway. Her long list of theater credits also include: In the Wake (Los Angeles Ovation Award, The Richard Seff Actor's Equity Award, Lucille Lortell Nomination, Public Theatre and Center Theater Group), Thinner Than Water (Labyrinth), The Poor Itch (The Public); Rag and Bone (Rattlestick Theatre); Jo Pyretown (Keen Company); Manic Flight Reaction and Spatter Patter (both at Playwrights Horizons); Cave Dweller (NYTW); Big Dance Theater's Antigone; Two Headed (Women's Project); In The Blood (The Public); Fugue (Cherry Lane); Mud (Signature Theatre); ‘Tis Pity She's a Whore (The Public); Love and Anger (Drama Desk nom., NYTW); The Geography of Luck, Three Ways Home, Stars in the Morning (Dramalogue Award, Los Angeles Critics Award), Etta Jenks (Dramalogue Award, all at LA Theatre Center); The Front Page (Lincoln Center); and A Lie of the Mind (Promenade Theatre). Films include: Synecdoche, What Happens in Vegas, Imaginary Heroes, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Secondhand Lions, Fearless, The Quitter (upcoming) and Pastime (Nominated for Independent Spirit Award—Best Supporting Actress). TV includes many guest stars and movies for TV as well as series regular roles on L.A. Doctors and Second Noah.

Hamish Linklater has worked as an actor in theater/TV/film. NY theater credits include School for Lies at C.S.C. (Lortel, OCC noms, Obie Award), Merchant of Venice, Winter's Tale, Twelfth Night (Drama Desk nom) at the Delacorte, Recent Tragic Events & The Busy World is Hushed (Drama League nom) at Playwrights Horizons, Good Thing at The New Group, and most recently, Seminar at the Golden Theater. He co-wrote the TV pilot The Prince of Motor City for ABC. Other plays include The Portal and The United Kingdom which have been read and workshopped at The Flea, New York Stage & Film, Williamstown, MTC, and The Echo Theatre in Los Angeles. He is perhaps best known for his role opposite Julia Louis Dreyfus on The New Adventures of Old Christine.

The Flea Theater, under Artistic Director Jim Simpson and Producing Director Carol Ostrow, is one of New York's leading off-off-Broadway companies. Winner of a Special Drama Desk Award for outstanding achievement, Obie Awards and an Otto for political theater, The Flea has presented over 100 plays and numerous dance and live music performances since its inception in 1996. Past productions include the premieres of Anne Nelson's The Guys, seven plays by A.R. Gurney (O Jerusalem, Screenplay, Mrs. Farnsworth, Post Mortem, A Light Lunch, Office Hours and Heresy), Cellophane and Two September by Mac Wellman, Ashley Montana Goes Ashore... and The Oldsmobiles by Roger Rosenblatt; JABU and Kaspar Hauser by Elizabeth Swados; Return of the Chocolate Smeared Woman by Karen Finley, Bingo with the Indians by Adam Rapp, Oh, The Humanity and other exclamations by Will Eno, Dawn and Job by Thomas Bradshaw, Love/Stories (or But You Will Get Used to it) Itamar Moses, The Great Recession, Girls in Trouble by Jonathan Reynolds, Parents' Evening by Bathsheba Doran, Looking at Christmas by Steven Banks, the Drama Desk nominated She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen, the Drama Desk nominated These Seven Sicknesses by Sean Graney and I Hate f-ing Mexicans by Luis Enrique Gutiérrez Ortiz Monasterio.

THE VANDAL runs January 18 - February 17, Tuesday through Saturday at 7pm with matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 3pm. The Flea is located at 41 White Street between Church and Broadway, three blocks south of Canal, close to the A/C/E, N/R/Q, 6, J/M/Z and 1 subway lines. Tickets are available by calling 212-352-3101 or online at www.theflea.org.