Knickerbocker: Public announces cast

The Public Theater has announced the complete cast for the New York premiere of Knickerbocker written by Jonathan Marc Sherman and directed by Pippin Parker .

The final show in the 2010-2011 Public LAB season, Knickerbocker will open at the Public's Anspacher Theater on 6 May 2011, following previews from 19 May, and run through to 29 May 2011.

Public Theater's Associate Artistic Director Mandy Hackett says, "We are delighted to welcome back Jonathan Marc Sherman to The Public. Told with great wit, this is a beautiful and powerful investigation of parenthood, friendship, family and love. I can't imagine a better way to finish out another successful Public LAB season."

The cast for Knickerbocker features Mia Barron (Pauline), Alexander Chaplin (Jerry), Bob Dishy (Raymond), Christina Kirk (Tara), Zak Orth (Chester) and Ben Shenkman (Melvin)..

Knickerbocker: 'Are you ready?'Jerry confronts this question from the womb of his favorite restaurant booth while the months pass by and the son he and his wife Pauline are expecting grows from the size of a peach to the size of...a baby. As the due date approaches, can friends and family members help Jerry feel prepared, or just feel worse, like some un-anonymous sperm donor terrified of making the transition from being the son of a father to being the father of a son?

Knickerbocker will feature scenic design by Peter Ksander, costume design by Gabriel Berry and lighting design by Jeff Croiter.

The 2010-2011 Public LAB season will conclude in May with Knickerbocker written by Jonathan Marc Sherman and directed by Pippin Parker, playing at the Public's Anspacher Theater from 6 - 29 May 2011.

Bios:

Jonathan Marc Sherman's (Playwright) plays include 'Things We Want,' 'Sophistry,' 'Veins & Thumbtacks,' 'Evolution,' 'Sons & Fathers,' 'Jesus on the Oil Tank,' 'Serendipity & Serenity, 'Wonderful Time' and' Women & Wallace.' They have been performed at Malaparte Theatre Company (which he co-founded), The New Group, Playwrights Horizons, WPA Theater, Los Angeles Theatre Center, and the Williamstown Theater Festival, as well as in England, Australia, Israel, and Japan. He adapted 'Women and Wallace' for PBS-TV's "American Playhouse," and 'Veins & Thumbtacks' was the basis for the movie "The Jimmy Show."

Pippin Parker (Director) recently directing work includes 'Betrayed' by George Packer at Culture Project (Lortel Award, Best Play 2008) and a new version of Jose Rivera's' References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot' for Abroad Stage Company. He is a founding member and former Artistic Director of Naked Angels Theater Company, where he co-conceived their long-running reading series "Tuesdays at 9" and their signature Issues Projects, which has collaborated with a diverse range of advocacy organizations including Amnesty, International and Project A.L.S.

Mia Barron (Pauline) appeared on Broadway in 'The Coast of Utopia.' Her Off-Broadway credits include 'Spirit Control,' 'What Once We Felt,' 'The Pain and the Itch' and 'The World Over.' She has also appeared on "Children's Hospital," "The Venture Bros," and "Grey's Anatomy."

Alexander Chaplin's (Jerry) New York credits include Jonathan Marc Sherman's 'Women and Wallace,' 'The Petrified Prince' at The Public Theater, 'Brighton Beach Memoirs,' 'Philip Roth in Khartoum' and 'Comic Potential.' His television credits include "Ugly Betty," "The Hustler," "Scrubs," "Numb3rs" and a recurring role as "James Hobert" on "Spin City." His film credits include "The Basketball Diaries" and "30 Days."

Bob Dishy (Raymond) has appeared on Broadway in 'Sly Fox,' 'Mornings at Seven,' 'The Price' and 'The Tenth Man.' His Off-Broadway credits include 'By Jupiter' and 'The Shawl.' He has appeared in such films as "The Wackness" and "Along Came Polly," and his television credits include "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Johnny Zero," and "Frasier."

Christina Kirk (Tara) appeared on Broadway in Lisa Kron's 'Well.' Her Off-Broadway credits include 'Clybourne Park,' 'A Lifetime Burning,' and 'God's Ear.' She has appeared on television in "The Good Wife" and "Law & Order," and in films such as "Taking Woodstock," "Satellite," "The Limbo Room" and "Along Came Polly."

Zak Orth (Chester) is making his Public Theater debut. His previous New York credits include 'Major Barbara,' 'The Internationalist,' 'A Place at the Table,' 'Rope,' 'Misalliance' and 'SubUrbia.' He is best known for his roles in the films "Wet Hot American Summer," "The Other Guys," "You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger," "In and Out," "Melinda and Melinda," "Romeo + Juliet," and "Music and Lyrics." His television credits include Fox's "Fringe," "Nurse Jackie," and "30 Rock."

Ben Shenkman (Melvin) appeared in 'Antony and Cleopatra' and 'Venus' at The Public. His Broadway credits include 'Proof,' 'Sight Unseen' and 'The Deep Blue Sea.' His other New York credits include 'Baby Anger,' 'Three in the Back Two in the Head,' and 'Carson McCullers.' He earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for his portrayal of "Louis Ironson" in HBO's "Angels in America." His film credits include "Must Love Dogs," "Blue Valentine," "Requiem for a Dream," "Solitary Man," "Just Like Heaven" and "Breakfast with Scott." Shenkman's television credits include "Canterbury's Law," "Grey's Anatomy," "Burn Notice," "Damages," "Lights Out," and the upcoming NBC sitcom, "The Paul Reiser Show."