'A Naked Girl on the Appian Way' announces full cast

Roundabout Theatre Company have announced the full cast for the New York premiere of Richard Greenberg�s new comedy A Naked Girl on the Appian Way, directed by Doug Hughes at the American Airlines Theatre.

Richard Thomas (Jeffrey), Matthew Morrison (Thad), Susan Kelechi Watson (Juliet), James Yaegashi (Bill), Leslie Ayvazian (Elaine) and Ann Guilbert (Sadie), will appear alongside the previously announced Jill Clayburgh (Bess)

The comedy opens on the 6 Oct 2005, following previews from the 9 Sep. The show is now running to the 4 Dec 2005, and not the 27 Nov 2005, as previously announced.

Synopsis: Bess is a successful cookbook author and her husband Jeffrey is a distracted genius whose lives are upended when their two children return from a year of European travel and reveal surprising news that stretches the family beyond their breaking point.

A Naked Girl on the Appian Way is Richard Greenberg�s third play at the Roundabout Theatre Company. His previous plays include 'Hurrah At Last' (1999) and 'The Dazzle' (2002), which received an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play and a Lucille Lortel nomination for Outstanding Play. Richard Greenberg also earned the 2003 Best Play Tony Award for 'Take Me Out and earned two Pulitzer Prize nominations for his play 'Take Me Out' (2003) and 'Three Days of Rain' (1998).

Doug Hughes returns to the Roundabout Theatre Company where he directed Jon Robin Baitz�s The Paris Letter and Stephen Belber�s 'McReele', both at the Laura Pels Theatre. He will also direct Roundabout�s new production of 'A Touch of the Poet' starring Gabriel Byrne at Studio 54 beginning November 11th, 2005. He earned the 2005 Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards for Best Direction of John Patrick Shanley�s Doubt. He also earned the 2004 Tony, Outer Critics Circle & Lucille Lortel nominations for his direction of Bryony Lavery�s 'Frozen'.

A Naked Girl on the Appian Way was commissioned and first produced by South Coast Repertory.

Biographies:

Jill Clayburge (Bess Lapin) Broadway credits: a revival of Noel Coward's 'Design for Living', the original production of Tom Stoppard's 'Jumpers', and the Tony Award-winning musicals 'Pippin' and 'The Rothschilds'. Off-Broadway she recently originated the role of 'Sunny' in 'The Exonerated'.

Richard Thomas (Jeffrey Lapin). Mr. Thomas� Broadway career began in 1958 in 'Sunrise at Campobello'. Other New York appearances include 'As You Like It' (Delacorte), 'Democracy', 'Fifth of July', 'The Seagull', 'The Front Page', 'Tiny Alice', 'The Playroom' and Terrence McNally�s 'The Stendhal Syndrome'. He will almost be most famous for his portrayal of 'John Boy' in the 'Waltons.'

Matthew Morrison (Thad Lapin). LCT: The Light in the Piazza. Broadway: original Link Larkin in 'Hairspray,' 'Footloose,' and 'The Rocky Horror Show.'

Susan Lelechi Watson (Juliet Lapin). Theatre: 'The Story' (Public), 'Playboy of the West Indies', 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof', 'Henry IV, part 1' and 'La Casa Nova' (all at NYU Graduate Acting Program).

James Yaegashi (Bill Lapin). Stage: 'Richard III' (Public), 'Take Me Out' (original Donmar Warehouse & Public cast), 'A Few Stout Individuals' (Signature), 'Twelfth Night' and 'Comedy of Errors' (both at Alabama Shakespeare Festival), 'Stories of the Children of Wa'r (River Arts Rep.), 'Macbeth' (Theatre for a New Audience).

Leslie Ayvazia (Elaine). Broadway: 'Lost In Yonkers' with Rosemary Harris, 'Lips Together, Teeth Apart' with Nathan Lane and many plays by several contemporary playwrights including Nicky Silver and Richard Greenberg. Leslie has performed in productions at the McCarter Theatre, The Vineyard Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre, the Manhattan Theatre Club, the Mark Taper Forum and Manhattan Class Company. Leslie is the author of 'Nine Armenians', which premiered at Seattle�s Intiman Theatre and went on to productions at MTC and Mark Taper Forum.

Ann Guilbert (Sadie). Broadway: ' The Billy Barnes Revue' (original cast, London & LA cast). Regional: 'Growing Gracefully' (Tiffany Theater), 'The Immigrant' (Mark Taper), 'Life Times Ten' (Theater West), many productions at Denver Center Theater Company, Arena Stage (DC) and Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (CA).