Finn Wittrock, Sarah Wayne Callies and Shuler Hensley to Lead THE GUARDSMAN at the Kennedy Center

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced Finn Wittrock as The Actor, Sarah Wayne Callies as The Actress, and Shuler Hensley as The Critic in the Kennedy Center production of The Guardsman in the Eisenhower Theater May 25 to June 23, 2013. Based on the 1910 comedy by Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnár, The Guardsman features a new literal translation by Richard Nelson and is directed by Gregory Mosher. The press opening will take place on Thursday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m.

A fresh Kennedy Center adaptation, the comedy tells the story of newlywed husband and wife actors. The jealous husband suspects that, if given the opportunity, his wife could be unfaithful to him. In an attempt to prove his suspicion true, he disguises himself as a guardsman and tries to seduce her under false identity - bringing drama into their real lives. The Guardsman asks the question "where does the acting end and true emotion begin?"

Finn Wittrock recently made his Broadway debut as Happy Loman in Mike Nichols' production of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman in which he starred opposite Philip Seymour Hoffman and Andrew Garfield. For his performance, he received the 2012 Theatre World Award. Some of Finn's other New York theater credits include The Illusion (Signature Theatre Co) andAge of Iron (Classic Stage Co). Finn also starred in David Cromer's production of Tennessee Williams' Sweet Bird of Youth at The Goodman Theater in which he starred opposite Diane Lane. Finn's upcoming film and television credits include Darren Aronofsky's film Noah, The Warner Brothers feature Winter's Tale for director Akiva Goldsman, and a recurring role in Showtime's newest drama Masters of Sex. Finn is a Juilliard graduate and is also a member of the Mechanicals Theatre Group in Los Angeles.

Sarah Wayne Callies is well known for her role as Lori Grimes on the popular AMC series The Walking Dead. She was a series regular on the Fox series Prison Break (2005), playing the role of Dr. Sara Tancredi. Additional television credits include playing opposite Oliver Platt on NBC's drama Queens Supreme (2003) and playing Officer Jane Porter on the WB's Tarzan (2003). She has also appeared on Dragnet (2003), Law & Order: SVU (1999), and Numb3rs. She recently wrapped production on the film Black Sky in Detroit with director, Steven Quayle, and is scheduled to be released in 2013. Her additional movie credits include Black November (2012), Foreverland (2011), Black Gold (2011), Faces in the Crowd (2011), Lullaby for Pi (2010), Bittersweet (2008), Whisper (2007), and The Celestine Prophecy (2006).
Shuler Hensley was last seen at the Kennedy Center in the first national touring production of Young Frankenstein alongside Roger Bart in December 2009. His Broadway credits include The Monster in Young Frankenstein (Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Award nominations), Kerchak in Tarzan, Jud Fry in Oklahoma! (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Olivier Awards), and Javert in LES MISERABLES. His Off-Broadway credits include The Great American Trailer Park Musical. His other stage credits include Fiorello! (New York City Center Encores!), The Whale (Playwrights Horizons), The Elephant Man (Williamstown Theatre Festival, MA), Ghost Brothers of Darkland County (Alliance Theater, GA), Paradise Found (Menier Chocolate Factory, London), All About Us (Westport Playhouse), Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera (Hamburg, Germany), The Most Happy Fella (American Songbook/Lincoln Center). Opera: Regina (Kennedy Center). His TV credits include Ed, Deadline, Gary Powers, Law & Order: SVU, Criminal Intent, The Jury. His film credits include The Legend of Zorro; Van Helsing; Monday Night Mayhem; Someone Like You; The Bread, My Sweet; Opa!.

The original Broadway production of The Guardsman opened on October 13, 1924 starring real-life husband and wife acting team Lynn Fontanne as The Actress and Alfred Lunt as The Actor in their first-ever collaboration. It ran for 248 performances in the Garrick Theatre. In 1931, The Guardsman was adapted for the screen by Ernest Vajda and Claudine West with direction by Sidney Franklin and featured Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt, in their only film, reprising their roles.

Born in 1878, Hungarian playwright and author Ferenc Molnár wrote The Guardsman in 1910 (translated in 1924) which served as the basis of the 1931 film starring Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt. His other popular plays include Liliom (1909) which was later adapted in Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical Carousel in 1945, and The Swan (1920) which was later adapted into a film of the same name starring Grace Kelly. Other plays by Ferenc Molnár include The Good Fairy, Olympia, and The Play at the Castle. He is the author of the novel The Paul Street Boys, which was made into a film multiple times.

Adaptor Richard Nelson is the author of many plays, including Goodnight Children Everywhere (Olivier Award Best Play), Misha's Party (with Alexander Gelman), Two Shakespearean Actors (Tony nomination, Best Play), Some Americans Abroad (Olivier nomination, Best Comedy) among others. His musicals include The Dead (with Shaun Davey, Tony Award Best Book of A Musical), My Life With Albertine (with Ricky Ian Gordon), Paradise Found (with Hal Prince, Ellen Fitzhugh, and Jonathan Tunick). He has adapted and/or translated numerous plays including Chekhov's The Seagull, The Wood Demon, Three Sisters, Strindberg's Miss Julie, The Father, Goldoni's Il Campiello, Beaumarchais' The Marriage of Figaro, Pirandello's Enrico IV, Moliere's Don Juan, among others.

Tony Award winner Gregory Mosher has directed and produced nearly 200 stage productions at the Lincoln Center and Goodman Theatres (both of which he led), Broadway and Off-Broadway, at the Royal National Theatre, and in London's West End. His recent work on Broadway includes A View from the Bridge and That Championship Season. Some additional credits include John Guare's The House of Blue Leaves and Six Degrees of Separation; David Rabe's Hurly-Burly; the South African township musical Sarafina!; Richard Nelson's musical adaptation of James Joyce's The Dead; David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross; and John Leguizamo's Freak.
The Kennedy Center production of The Guardsman will feature scenic design by John Lee Beatty, costume design by Jane Greenwood, lighting design by Peter Kaczorowski, and sound design by Scott Lehrer.

TICKET INFORMATION
The Kennedy Center production of The Guardsman will run May 25 to June 23, 2013. Performances will take place Tuesday through Saturday evenings in the Eisenhower Theater at 7:30 p.m. Beginning June 1, matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday afternoons will run at 1:30 p.m. Tickets starting at $54 are on sale at the Kennedy Center box office or by calling Instant Charge at (202) 467-4600. Patrons living outside the Washington metropolitan area may dial toll-free at (800) 444-1324 or visit us online at www.kennedy-center.org.