Deuce makes itself ineligible for Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League Awards

The Broadway production of Deuce, a new play by Terrence McNally starring Angela Lansbury and Marian Seldes as decided to make itself ineligible for Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League Awards. The show will be eligible for nominations for the 2007 Tony Awards.

A statement from the show's producers says, "The eligibility requirements for those awards asked that the nominators of the respective organizations be accommodated to see the show after only a week of performances. We decided that this was too much pressure to put on the cast and the production."

Deuce opens at the Music Box Theatre on 6 May 2007, following previews from 11 Apr and will run, for a 18 week strictly limited engagement, through to 19 Aug 2007.

Directed by Michael Blakemore, Deuce stars Angela Lansbury as Leona Mullen and Marian Seldes as Midge Barker � two former doubles tennis legends, reunited at a championship tournament. As they watch a singles match grow increasingly heated, the two women reminisce on the sidelines, remembering past triumphs and unearthing forgotten truths.

The cast will also feature Brian Haley, Joanna P. Adler and Michael Mulheren.

Deuce, marks Ms. Lansbury�s first role on Broadway in almost 25 years. In her 60-plus year career on stage, film and television, Ms. Lansbury has received four Tony Awards for her starring roles in Mame, Dear World, Gypsy and Sweeney Todd, three Academy Award nominations for Gaslight (her screen debut), The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Manchurian Candidate, and 18 Emmy Award nominations, including 12 for her long-running television series, Murder, She Wrote.

Ms. Seldes won a Tony for A Delicate Balance, and has been nominated for her performances in Father�s Day, Deathtrap, Ring Round the Moon, and Dinner at Eight. Last season, she earned rave reviews for her performance in Mr. McNally�s Dedication, or the Stuff of Dreams.

Mr. McNally (playwrite) has won Tony Awards for his plays, Love! Valour! Compassion! and Master Class, and for his books for the musicals, Kiss of the Spider Woman and Ragtime. Mr. Blakemore (Director) won Tony Awards in the same year for his direction of the play, Copenhagen, and the musical, Kiss Me Kate.

The production team for Deuce features set design by Peter J. Davison, costume design by Ann Roth, lighting design by Mark Henderson, sound design by Paul Charlier and video and projection design by Sven Ortel.

Deuce will be produced on Broadway by Scott Rudin, Stuart Thompson, Maberry Theatricals, The Shubert Organization, Roger Berlind, Debra Black, Bob Boyett, Susan Dietz and Daryl Roth, in association with Primary Stages.