Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Adopted Kittens To 'Star' In Broadway Play

Producers of the upcoming Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play You Can’t Take It With You and The Humane Society of New York are pleased to announce a new partnership to support the adoption of kittens that will be used in the show. The kittens will be replaced periodically throughout the run as they outgrow their roles.

Audience members will be able to visit the theatre lounge at the Longacre Theatre before the performance and at intermission and learn more about The Humane Society of New York as well as fill out application forms to adopt the kittens used in the show. The first set of kittens will come from a round of auditions during rehearsals and will be adopted to a lucky new home during previews. All kittens are being provided byThe Humane Society of New York, and are being trained by Bill Berloni.

“The Broadway shows I have worked on have always supported my animal adoption efforts behind the scenes, and this is a fantastic opportunity to bring the adoption work to the forefront by inviting our audiences to participate in what will be the first major animal adoption program ever done on Broadway. The Humane Society of New York runs a first class operation that works with many kitten rescuers in New York City then treats them medically before socializing and domesticating them for placement in quality homes. This partnership will help raise awareness of the importance of animal adoption, as well as connect loving future kitten owners with animals who have not only been provided by the best-rated shelter in the Tri State area but have also graced the stage with the stars of You Can’t Take It With You.” - Bill Berloni, Theatrical Animal Trainer and Humane Society of New York’s Director of Animal Behavior and Training

The complete cast of You Can’t Take It With You includes: Tony Award and Outer Critics’ Circle winner James Earl Jones (Gore Vidal’s The Best Man, Fences, The Great White Hope) as Martin Vanderhof, two-time Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Rose Byrne* (“Damages,” Bridesmaids, Neighbors) as Alice Sycamore, Elizabeth Ashley (Take Her, She’s Mine, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Gore Vidal’s The Best Man) as The Grand Duchess Olga, Tony Award nominee Annaleigh Ashford (Kinky Boots, Wicked, “Masters of Sex”) as Essie Carmichael, Johanna Day (August: Osage County) as Mrs. Kirby, three-time Drama Desk nomineeJulie Halston (Anything Goes, The Divine Sister) as Gay Wellington, Byron Jennings (The Merchant of Venice, Inherit the Wind) as Mr. Kirby, Fran Kranz (Death of a Salesman) as Tony Kirby, Mark Linn-Baker (A Funny Thing…Forum, “Perfect Strangers,” My Favorite Year) as Paul Sycamore, Tony Award nominee Kristine Nielsen (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike) as Penelope Sycamore, Tony Award nominee Reg Rogers (Holiday, The Royal Family) as Boris Kolenkhov, Will Brill (Act One) as Ed Carmichael, Nick Corley (The Mystery of Edwin Drood) as a G-Man, Austin Durant (War Horse) as a G-Man,Theatre World Award winner Crystal A. Dickinson (Clybourne Park) as Rheba, Marc Damon Johnson (Lucky Guy) as Donald, Karl Kenzler (Mary Poppins) as Henderson, Patrick Kerr (Stage Kiss, The Ritz) as Mr. De Pinna, and Joe Tapper (Witnessed By The World) as a G-Man.

Previews will begin on August 26, 2014, at the Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street), with an opening night set for September 28, 2014. The production will be directed by six-time Tony Award-nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Scott Ellis (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Twelve Angry Men, 1776) and will play a 19-week limited engagement.

Tickets are on sale by calling (212) 239-6200 or by visiting Telecharge.com.

It has also been previously announced that three-time Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown (two 2014 Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations, The Bridges of Madison County; Parade), will write original music for the production.

The design team includes: set design by Tony Award nominee David Rockwell (Kinky Boots, Hairspray), costume design by 2014 special Tony Award recipient, Jane Greenwood (Act One, Waiting for Godot), lighting design by two-time Tony Award winner Donald Holder (South Pacific, The Lion King), sound design by Jon Weston (The Bridges of Madison County) and hair and wig design by Tom Watson (Act One, Waiting for Godot.

You Can’t Take It With You will be produced by Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Jam Theatricals, Dominion Pictures, Gutterman & Winkler, Daryl Roth, Terry Schnuck, Jane Bergere, Caiola Productions, Rebecca Gold, LaRuffa & Hinderliter, Gabrielle Palitz, Spisto & Kierstead, SunnySpot Productions, VenuWorksTheatricals, Jessica Genick and Will Trice.

Family can do crazy things to people. And the Sycamore family is a little crazy to begin with. James Earl Jones heads the wackiest household to ever hit Broadway in Kaufman and Hart’s Pulitzer Prize-winning classic You Can’t Take It With You. He plays wily Grandpa Vanderhof, leader of a happily eccentric gang of snake collectors, cunning revolutionaries, ballet dancers and skyrocket makers. But when the youngest daughter brings her fiancé and his buttoned-up parents over for dinner, that’s when the real fireworks start to fly.

The original production of the play opened at the Booth Theater on December 14, 1936, and played for 837 performances. The play won the 1937 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

ABOUT THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF NEW YORK

Since 1904 the Humane Society of New York has been a presence in New York City, reaching out to animals in need when illness, injury or homelessness strikes. Open seven days a week, today its hospital and The Vladimir Horowitz and Wanda Toscanini Horowitz Adoption Center help more than 38,000 animals annually, and their numbers continue to grow. HSNY’s Adoption Center provides a safe haven- with no time limit - for rescued animals while permanent adoptive homes are found. The clinic provides low-cost and funded veterinary services ranging from wellness treatment to critical care for animals who would otherwise have nowhere to turn for life-giving help. Many belong to indigent families including the elderly and recipients of disability and welfare. www.HumaneSocietyNY.org

*Rose Bryne is appearing with the support of Actors' Equity Association.

For more info visit: http://www.youcanttakeitwithyoubroadway.com/

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