Oliver Parker! John Larroquette to head cast

Five-time Emmy Award-winner John Larroquette will head Johanna Day, Monica Raymund and Michael Zegen in the cast of Elizabeth Meriwether's new play Oliver Parker!, in its world-premiere by the Off-Broadway theatre company the stageFARM, opening at the Cherry Lane Theatre on 17 May 2010, following previews from 9 May and running through to 6 Jun 2010.

Directed by Evan Cabnet, Oliver Parker! is a black comedy about hurting the ones you love, and loving the ones that hurt: Oliver (Michael Zegen) is 17 and 'Jasper' (John Laroquette) is 60. They are best friends. Oliver wants to get laid, and Jasper wants to help. Jasper wants to drink himself to death, and Oliver wants to save him. And they share a secret that could ruin them both... if it hasn't already.

The creative team for Oliver Parker! includes Lauren Helpern (sets), Ben Stanton (lighting), Jessica Shay (costumes) and Zane Birdwell (sound).

Elizabeth Meriwether is the author of the plays 'The Mistakes Madeline Made' (Naked Angels), 'Heddatron' (Les Freres Corbusier), 'Nicky Goes Goth' (NY Fringe) and '90 Days' (stageFARM).

Oliver Parker! brings Ms. Meriwether back to New York after four years in Hollywood, where she has four major projects in development, including "F**kbuddies aka Friends with Benefits" which begins shooting next month starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman, directed by Ivan Reitman. Liz was one of Variety's 10 screenwriters to watch and one of four female screenwriters in Hollywood featured in the New York Times last year.

Johanna Day has appeared on Broadway in 'August: Osage County', and Proof' (Tony nomination), and Off-Broadway in Ethan Coen's 'ALmost an Evening,' Edward Albee's 'Peter and Jerry' and Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize-winning 'How I learned to Drive.'

John Larroquette is a five-time Emmy Award-winning actor, best known as 'Assistant District Attorney 'Dan Fielding' on NBC-TV's "Night Court," which earned him four Emmy Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. He also starred in the NBC comedy series "The John Larroquette Show," was a series regular on "Boston Legal" and won his fifth Emmy Award for a guest-starring role on "The Practice." He played the title role in Hallmark's crime series "McBride," and starred on NBC's sitcom "Happy Family." Film credits include "Big Paw: Beethoven 5," "Richie Rich," "Tune in Tomorrow," "Second Sight" and "Madhouse." Mr. Larroquette's stage appearances include Neil Simon's 'Oscar and Felix: A New Look at the Odd Couple' in Los Angeles and 'Happy Jack' by John Godber.

Monica Raymund can currently be seen opposite Tim Roth on Fox-TV's "Lie to Me." Her stage credits include Jose Rivera's 'Boleros for the Disenchanted' at the Huntington Theater and Nilo Cruz's 'The Color of Desire' at Eugene O'Neill Theater Center.

Michael Zegen is best-known as 'Damian Keefe,' Denis Leary's godson on the FX television series "Rescue Me." He began his career playing "Dwight the Troubled Teen" on "The Late Show with David Letterman" (50 episodes). He made his NY stage debut last year in Gregory Moss' 'Punkplay' at the Ohio Theatre. Film credits include "Adventureland," "The Box" and "Taking Woodstock."