Murder in the First: Chad Kimball to star

Chad Kimball and British actor Guy Burnet will lead the cast in Dan Gordon's courtroom drama Murder in the First, directed by Michael Parva, opening at 59E59's Theater A on 6 Jun 2012, following previews from 25 May 2012, and running through to 1 Jul 2012.

Tony Award-nominee Chad Kimball ('Memphis') will play the Alcatraz convict 'Willie Moore.' British stage and TV actor Guy Burnet ("Hollyoaks") makes his NY stage debut as Willie's attorney 'Henry Willard Davidson.' Larisa Polonsky ('Burning' for the New Group) plays fellow attorney 'Mary McCasslin.'

The cast will also include Joe Adams, Richard Fiske, Anthoula Katsimatides, Darren Kelly, Joe Lawless, Thomas Ryan and John Stanisci.

Five more cast members are still to be announced.

Inspired by a true story, Murder in the First is about the murder trial that blew open the deplorable treatment of the prisoners at Alcatraz, the most notorious correctional institution in U.S. history. The stage version of Dan Gordon's 1995 film explores the unlikely friendship that develops between the young, idealistic attorney and the prisoner that he was brought in to defend.

The design team includes set design by Mark Nayden, lighting design by David Castaneda, costume design by Tristan Raines and, original music and sound design Quentin Chiappetta.

Murder in the First is produced by The Directors Company, in association with Chase Mishkin, Barbara & Buddy Freitag, and Invictus Theater Company.