Doris To Darlene, A Cautionary Valentine Playwright Horizons' announce cast

Playwrights Horizons has announced casting and details for the third production of its 2007/2008 Season, the World Premiere of Doris To Darlene, A Cautionary Valentine, a new play by Jordan Harrison, opening at Playwrights Horizons'Main Stage on 11 Dec 2007, following previews from 16 Nov and running through to 23 Dec 2007.

Directed by Les Waters, Doris To Darlene, A Cautionary Valentine will feature award-winning jazz vocalist de�Adre Aziza, David Chandler, Michael Crane, Laura Heisler, Tom Nelis and Tobias Segal.

Doris To Darlene, A Cautionary Valentine begins in the candy-colored 1960s, when a biracial schoolgirl named Doris (de�Adre Aziza) is molded into pop star Darlene by a whiz-kid record producer (Michael Crane) who culls a top-ten hit out of Richard Wagner�s Liebestod. Rewind to the candy-colored 1860s, where Wagner (David Chandler) is writing the melody that will become Darlene�s hit song. Fast-forward to the not-so-candy-colored present, where a teenager (Tobias Segal) obsesses over Darlene�s music � and his music teacher (Tom Nelis). Three dissonant decades merge into an unlikely harmony in this time-jumping pop fairy tale about the dreams and disasters behind one transcendent song.

A play that deals with the nature of music and how it influences our lives, Doris To Darlene, A Cautionary Valentine will feature two songs with music by Kirsten Childs, set to Mr. Harrison�s lyrics.

The creative team comprises Takeshi Kata (sets), Christal Weatherly (costumes), Jane Cox (lighting) and Darron L West (sound).

Jordan Harrison (playwright) will be making his Off-Broadway debut with this production. His plays have been presented at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Portland Center Stage, Berkeley Rep and American Theater Company and he�s received commissions from such theaters as South Coast Repertory and The Guthrie.

Les Waters (Director) is currently Associate Artistic Director of Berkeley Repertory Theatre. He most recently directed Sarah Ruhl�s 'Eurydice' at Second Stage.

de�Adre Aziza (Doris/Darlene) was recently featured in the new musical 'Passing Strange' at The Public.

David Chandler (Richard Wagner) last appeared at Playwrights Horizons in 'Black Sea Follies'. His Broadway credits include 'Lost in Yonkers' (1991), 'Death of a Salesman' (1984 revival) and 'The American Clock' (1980). He last apeared Off-Broadway in 'Underneath the Lintel' (Soho Playhouse) for which he was nomination for the 2002 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance.

Michael Crane (Vic Watts) is making his Off-Broadway debut. He was nominated for a 2007 Innovative Theater award as Outstanding Featured Actor for his performance in West Moon Street with Prospect Theatre Company.

Laura Heisler (Ludwig II) previously appeared at Playwrights Horizons in 'People Be Heard' (2004). She made her Broadway debut last season as Edward in 'Coram Boy' (2007).

Tom Nelis (Mr. Campani) is currently appearing Off-Broadway as Agamemnon in Signature�s Iphigenia 2.0. Broadway credits:'Pharaoh' (replacement) in 'Aida' (2000), The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial' (2006 revival). Nelis has made many off-Broadway appearances, and was awarded a 1993-1994 OBIE Award for his performance in New York Theatre Workshop's 'The Medium' .

Tobias Segal (The Young Man) made is Off-Broadway debut in 'Victoria Martin: Math Team Queen' (2007).