Full Cast Announced for Public's King Lear

Full casting has now been announced for the Public Theater's free Shakespeare in the Park production of King Lear by William Shakespeare, which runs at the Delacorte Theatre from 22 July to 17 August, with an official opening on Tuesday, 5 August 2014.

Joining the previously announced John Lithgow as King Lear will be Annette Bening, Jessica Collins and Jessica Hecht as his daughters Goneril, Cordelia and Regan.

The full cast for the production includes: Jeremy Bobb (Oswald); Steven Boyer (Fool); Glenn Fleshler (Cornwall); Slate Holmgren (King of France); Christopher Innvar (Albany); Chukwudi Iwuji (Edgar); Clarke Peters (Gloucester); Dale Place (Old Man, Curan); Jay O. Sanders (Kent); and Eric Sheffer Stevens (Edmund). The non-equity ensemble includes Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Andrew Burnap, Christopher Ghaffari, Ryan-James Hatanaka, Matt Helm, Dave Klasko, and Phillip Shinn.

Annette Bening is making her Public Theater debut in 'King Lear'. She last appeared on Broadway in 1988 in 'Coastal Disturbances'. Her off-Broadway credits include 'Spoils of War' and 'Coastal Disturbances'. She has received Oscar nominations for her performances in 'The Grifters', 'American Beauty', 'Being Julie', and 'The Kids Are All Right'.

Jessica Collins has appeared on Broadway in 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses' and Off-Broadway in 'We Live Here' and 'Manic Flight Reaction'. Her film and television credits include 'Zero Dark Thirty', 'Revolution', 'Person of Interest', 'Rubicon', and 'The Nine'.

Jessica Hecht's Public Theater credits include 'Stop Kiss'. On Broadway she has been seen in 'The Assembled Parties', 'Harvey', 'A View From the Bridge', 'Brighton Beach Memoirs', 'Julius Caesar', 'After The Fall', and 'The Last Night of Ballyhoo'. Her film and television credits include 'Breaking Bad', 'Elementary', and 'Bored to Death'.

Free tickets to The Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park season are distributed, two per person (age 5+), at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park beginning at 12:00 p.m. on the day of each performance.

- by Dom O'Hanlon