Casting For National Playwrights Conference Projects Nearing Completion
Cast Lists For First Two National Playwrights Conference Shows Announced

June 28, 2006

Wendy C. Goldberg, Artistic Director of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's National Playwrights Conference (NPC) announced that casting for the 2006 NPC season is nearing completion. She also announced the full casts of the NPC's first two projects, Bird in the Hand by Jorge Ignacio Cortiņas and Air Conditioning by Tommy Smith. The NPC's Casting Director is Alan Filderman.

Ms. Goldberg said, "I'm very pleased that we have assembled an exciting group of actors who will be part of our summer developmental process at the O'Neill."

Some of the actors confirmed for the 2006 NPC season include: Jayne Houdyshell (nominated for a 2006 Tony Award nominee, 2006 Theatre World Award for her role in Lisa Kron's Well on Broadway. She won a 2004 Obie Award when she originated this role at New York's Public Theater. Ms Houdyshell also received the 2006 Richard Seff Award from Actors' Equity Foundation for her performance); Kate Buddeke (Broadway credits include revivals of Carousel, Death of a Salesman and Gypsy. She has appeared in several films and TV programs and just completed work on the indie film Choking Man); Stephen Kunken (Broadway credits include Hal in Proof and Lars in Festen. He has also appeared in television series including The Sopranos and Law & Orde.); Cyrus Farmer (best known for his role as Craig Woodruff on television's NYPD Blue. He has also made frequent appearances on Law & Order and 2003's Oz, in which he played Officer Adrian Johnson, in addition to Broadway and off-Broadway roles); Manu Narayan (recently starred as Akaash in Bombay Dreams on Broadway and appeared in Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses and the national tour of Miss Saigon); Yul Vazquez, (known for his appearance in the 2005 film War of the Worlds, also Murder by Numbers and Traffic. He has been a member of the LAByrinth Theater Company, New York, since 1992); Marin Ireland (Ruby in The Ruby Sunrise at New York's Public Theater. Other recent credits include the Classic Stage Company (New York) production of Savannah Bay, with Kathleen Chalfant); and Daoud Heidami (a member of the Obie Award-winning New York troupe The Civilians, who has recently appeared in their production for (I Am) Nobody's Lunch as well as off-Broadway and regionally in theaters such as Seattle Repertory Theater and La Jolla Playhouse).

Ms. Golderg also announced complete cast lists for the NPC's first two projects, with performances beginning on July 5:

BIRD IN THE HAND
by Jorge Ignacio Cortiņas
Directed by Louis Tyrrell

A quirky and tender comedy about a young Cuban man tied in knots by romantic complications, the specter of S.A.T.'s and the fading flamingos in Miami. It's not easy to keep your color while flying the coop.

Performances: Wed, July 5th at 8:00 pm; Fri, July 7th at 8:00 pm In the Rose Barn Theater

ROLE	ACTOR
Felix	Michael Ray Escamilla*
Gabriel	Abe Cruz
Susan	Marin Ireland*
Vanessa	Kate Guyton*
Various Tropical Birds	Tasha Gordon-Solomon

AIR CONDITIONING
by Tommy Smith
directed by Steven Cosson

A biting and darkly-comic look at the dangers of meeting up with old friends when the rich are rich and the poor are desperate.

Performances: Thurs, July 6th at 8:00 pm; Sat, July 8th at 5:00 pm In the Dina Merrill Theater

ROLE	ACTOR
Poppy	Lillian Meredith
Helen	Caitlin O'Connell*
Bob	Kevin Geer*
Europa	Kate Buddeke*
Jerry	Stephen Schnetzer*

*denotes a member of Actors' Equity Assopciation

All schedules and artists subject to change. Please call the O'Neill Box Office at 860-443-1238 for times, prices and reservations. Outdoor performances will be moved indoors in the event of rain. The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, founded in 1964, has been home to more than 1,000 new works for the stage and 2,500 emerging artists and is itself the winner of a special Tony Award, the National Opera Award, the Jujamcyn Award for Theater Excellence and the Arts and Business Council Encore Award. Today, the O'Neill is home to the National Playwrights Conference, National Music Theater Conference, Puppetry Conference, Cabaret Conference, National Critics Institute, and the fully accredited National Theater Institute, which includes semester-long, fully accredited intensive theater-training programs and a six-week accredited summer program, Theatermakers. In addition, the O'Neill owns and operates the National Historic Landmark Monte Cristo Cottage, the childhood home of Nobel Prize-winning and four-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Eugene O'Neill. For more information regarding the Center, please visit the O'Neill website at www.TheONeill.org or call 860-443-5378.