Checkers extends run by two weeks

Vineyard Theatre have announced that Tony and Emmy Award-winner Anthony LaPaglia and Tony nominee Kathryn Erbe, will star in their The world premiere production of Douglas McGrath's play Checkers, starring Tony and Emmy Award-winner Anthony LaPaglia and Tony nominee Kathryn Erbe, currently in previews at the Vineyard Theatre, extends its run by two weeks and will now play through to 2 Dec 2012.

Checkers began previews at the Vineyard Theatre on 12 Oct 2012, whee it is scheduled to open on 28 Oct 2012. The show was originally scheduled to close on 18 Nov 2012.

Directed by Terry Kinney, the cast also features Kelly Coffield Park, Joel Marsh Garland, Kevin O'Rourke, John Ottovino, Mark Shanahan, Lewis J. Stadlen and Robert Stanton.

Checkers: It's 1952. A young Richard Nixon (Anthony LaPaglia) is campaigning as his party's candidate for Vice-President, his wife Pat (Kathryn Erbe) proudly at his side, when an accusation of financial impropriety almost ends his promising career. In a momentous speech, he takes charge of his fate, and changes the character of American politics forever.

The creative team includes Neil Patel (scenic design), Sarah Holden (costume design), David Weiner (lighting design) and Millburn/Bodeen (music and sound design) and Darrel Maloney (projection design).

Anthony LaPaglia won a 1997 Tony Award for his role as 'Eddie' in Arthur Miller's 'A View from a Bridge.' Other Broadway credits include 'Lend Me a Tenor' and 'The Rose Tattoo.' He was nominated for an Emmy for his recurring role as "Simon Moon" in the TV comedy series "Frasier." Kathryn Erbe was nominated for a 1991 Tony for her role as 'Mary' in 'Seeds of Darkness.' Other Broadway credits include: 'A Month in the Country' and 'A Month in the Country.' TV credits include her roles as "Shirley Bellinger" in "Oz," and as "Detective Alexandra Eames " "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." Douglas McGrath (playwright) is the author of the play 'The Big Day,' presented at Pasadena Playhouse, and has performed his one-man show 'Political Animal' Off-Broadway. He collaborated with Woody Allen on the screenplay for "Bullets Over Broadway," for which they were nominated for an Academy Award. His first film as writer and director was the Academy Award winning "Emma," from Jane Austen's novel.

Terry Kinney directed The Vineyard's productions of Gina Gionfriddo's 'After Ashley' and Nicky Silver's plays 'Beautiful Child' and 'The Agony & The Agony." Other credits include 'Reasons to be Pretty' (both off and on Broadway) and 'Eyes for Consuela' at Manhattan Theatre Club. Kinney is a founding member of Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company where his many directing credits include OF 'Mice and Men,' 'Fool for Love,' Streamers,' 'Reckless,' 'A Clockwork Orange,' 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' and 'A Streetcar Named Desire.'