Grace, by Craig Wright, to play at the Cort

The Broadway premiere of Craig Wright's Grace will open at the Cort Theatre on 4 Oct 2012, following previews from 13 Sep 2012, for a limited engagement running through to 6 Jan 2013.

Directed by Dexter Bullard, the cast will co-star Paul Rudd and Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon, and also feature Kate Arrington and seven-time Emmy Award-winner Edward Asner.

Grace follows a wide-eyed young couple (Rudd and Arrington) as they start a new life in sunny, promise-filled Florida, with big plans to open a chain of Gospel motels. The couple have to deal with an agitated neighbor (Shannon) and a caustic exterminator as their destinies collide (Asner).

The creative team features sets by Beowulf Boritt, costumes by Tif Bullard and lighting by David Weiner.

The show is being produced on Broadway by Debbie Bisno, Fox Theatricals and Paula Wagner.

This production of Grace marks its New York Premiere (in an updated script) and the Broadway debuts of playwright Craig Wright and director Dexter Bullard.

Grace first premiered at The Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington, DC in 2004, and was subsequently seen in a production at Northlight Theater in Chicago, and at the Pasadena Playhouse in Los Angeles (where it received 3 LA Drama Critics Circle Awards including Best Play).

Paul Rudd made his Broadway debut in Tony Award-winning 'The Last Night of Ballyhoo' in 1997 and has since starred in 'Twelfth Night' (1998), 'Three Days of Rain' (2006) and Off Broadway in 'The Shape of Things' (2001), among other stage productions. His many film credits include: "Clueless," "Wet Hot American Summer," "Anchorman," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Dinner for Schmucks," "The Object of My Affection," and "Our Idiot Brother."

Michael Shannon is making his Broadway debut. Shannon has previously worked with playwright Craig Wright and director Dexter Bullard, when he starred Off-Broadway in 'Mistakes Were Made.' He has also starred Off-Broadway in 'Our Town,' 'Bug' and 'Killer Joe.' He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as 'John Givings' in the 2008 movie "Revolutionary Road." He stars as "Nelson Van Alden" in the HBO TV series "Boardwalk Empire."

Kate Arrington, who is currently appearing at the Goodman Theatre in 'Iceman Cometh' opposite Nathan Lane and Brian Dennehy, is a Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble member, whose productions there include 'The Hot L Baltimore,' 'The Well-Appointed Room,' 'The Pain and the Itch' and 'The Violet Hour.'

Edward Asner last appeared on Broadway in 1989, opposite Madeline Kahn in 'Born Yesterday. He is best known for his Emmy Award-winning role as "Lou Grant" on both "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and its spin-off series, "Lou Grant." He currently stars in "Michael, Tuesdays and Thursdays" on CBC Television.