Denver Center Theatre Company artistic director Kent Thompson has announced his directors for the 2007-08 season, and his principal actors for the first two offerings.
Among the group of five new directors is acting company member David Ivers, who makes his DCTC directing debut with William Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” He has directing credits at Michigan Shakespeare Festival and Portland Repertory Theatre.
Thompson directed the first two Shakespeare productions of his Denver Center tenure. This season, Thompson instead will direct Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas,” a co-production with Denver Center Attractions, and the world premiere of “Plainsong” by Eric Schmiedl, based on the novel by Colorado’s Kent Haruf.
Thompson also announced that the lead actors for the opening production of “Third” will be Caitlin O’Connell as professor Laurie Jameson and, making his Denver Center debut, Billy Wheelan as student Woodson Bull III. O’Connell (“The Clean House” and “The Sweetest Swing in Baseball” for the DCTC), understudied the role of Laurie for Dianne Wiest on Broadway. Wheelan performed in “Our Leading Lady” for the Manhattan Theatre Club.
(That’s O’Connell, above left, pictured with Kathleen McCall in “Sweetest Swing.”)
Leading the cast of the classic comedy “You Can’t Take It With You” are returning company members Jeanne Paulsen (“Mrs. Warren’s Profession”) as Penelope Sycamore, Randy Moore (“Mrs. Warren’s Profession”) as Grandpa Martin Vanderhof and Nisi Sturgis (“Mrs. Warren’s Profession”) as Alice.
Associate artistic director Bruce K. Sevy will direct Jon Jory’s adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen, and the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning drama “Doubt” by John Patrick Shanley.
Wendy C. Goldberg will direct the season-opening production of “Third,” by Wendy Wasserstein. Goldberg was director of the DCTC’s “The Clean House,” “Living Out,” “The Sweetest Swing in Baseball” and is artistic director of the National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center.
Kent Gash returns to direct “Gee’s Bend” by Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder. He directed the DCTC’s “Crowns” and “Pure Confidence” and is associate artistic director of Atlanta’s Tony Award-winning Alliance Theatre. He is a graduate of Denver’s George Washington High School.
Five have been selected to direct their first Denver Center productions.
Penny Metropulos will direct the Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman comedy “You Can’t Take It With You.” She is associate artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Paul Mason Barnes will direct Wendy Kesselman’s adaptation of “The Diary of Anne Frank” by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. He is artistic director of Minnesota’s Great River Shakespeare Festival.
Daniel Fish will direct the world premiere of “Our House,” a play he conceived with writer Theresa Rebeck. He is a director of new plays at the Steppenwolf, McCarter and Bay Street theaters, as well as at The O’Neill Playwright’s Conference.
Juliette Carrillo will direct the world premiere of “Lydia” by Octavio Solis. She is the former director of the Hispanic Playwright’s Project at South Coast Repertory Theatre.
Marion J. Caffey will choreograph and direct his own work, “3 Mo’ Divas,” during the interdisciplinary National Performing Arts Convention in Denver early next summer. He is the writer, director and choreographer of “Cookin’ at the Cookery: The Music and Times of Alberta Hunter” and “Three Mo’ Tenors.”
CAST LISTS
“THIRD”
By Wendy Wasserstein
Denver Center Theatre Company
Directed by Wendy C. Goldberg
Space Theatre, Sept. 14-Oct. 20, 2007
Laurie Jameson, a college professor: Caitlin O’Connell*
Woodson Bull III. a college student: Billy Wheelan*
Jack Jameson, Laurie’s father: Philip Pleasants*
Emily Imbrie, Laurie’s daughter: Mattie Hawkinson*
Nancy Gordon, a college professor: Patricia Randell*
“YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU”
by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman
Denver Center Theatre Company
Directed by Penny Metropolus
Stage Theatre, Sept. 21-Oct. 20, 2007
Penelope Sycamore: Jeanne Paulsen*
Essie: Christine Rowan*
Rheba: Ailish Riggs
Paul Sycamore: James Michael Reilly*
Mr. DePinna: Larry Paulsen*
Ed: David Ivers*
Donald: Richard Thieriot
Grandpa Martin Vanderhof: Randy Moore*
Alice: Nisi Sturgis*
William C. Henderson: Sam Gregory*
Tony Kirby: Patrick Jones*
Boris Kolenkhov Mike Hartman*
Gay Wellington: Jill Tanner*
Mr. Kirby: John Hutton*
Mrs. Kirby: Lauren Klein*
Three Men: Michael J. Fulvio, Michael Mallard, Robert Wells III
Grand Duchess Olga: Kathleen M. Brady
Understudy: Christine Rowan* (Penelope Sycamore)
