'Orson's Shadow' at Barrow Street Theatre

Orson's Shadow, by Austin Pendleton, will open at the Barrow Street Theatre on the 13 Mar, following previews from the 1 Mar 2005. This production is slated for an open-ended run.

Orson's Shadow, is set in 1960, as notorious film director Orson Welles senses his foothold in the screen industry slipping. Coaxed into a new endeavor by theater critic and friend Kenneth Tynan, the directorial giant finds himself at the helm of a West End production of Ionesco�s Rhinoceros starring Laurence Olivier and his paramour Joan Plowright. Olivier�s eccentric wife Vivien Leigh adds to the volatile mix as legendary egos collide on stage and off. A fictional rendering of actual events, Orson�s Shadow imagines the circumstances behind the staging of this absurdist masterpiece and reveals the human frailty of these titan personalities.

Playwright Austin Pendleton's previous plays include 'Booth' and 'Uncle Bob'. 'Booth' was presented at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Long Wharf, York Theatre and the Writers' Theatre in Chicago. As an actor, Pendleton appeared on Broadway in 'The Diary of Anne Frank'. Off-Broadway, he appeared in 'The Last Sweet Days of Isaac' (Obie award), 'Hamlet', 'Richard III', 'Uncle Vanya' and others.

Orson's Shadow is directed by David Cromer (D.C. : 'The Grapes of Wrath' � Ford's Theatre; Chicago: 'Orson's Shadow' � Steppenwolf/2000, The Cider House Rules � Famous Door, The Dazzle & Golden Boy � Steppenwolf, Angels in America � The Journeymen, The Price & Austin Pendleton's Booth � Writers' Theatre).

This production features Susan Bennett, John Judd, Tracy Letts, Lee Roy Rogers, Jeff Still and Ian Westerfer.

Orson's Shadow has set design by by Takeshi Kata, costume design by Theresa Squire, lighting design by Tyler Micoleau, and sound design by Jonah Lawrence.

Presented by Planetearth Partners, Inc. and Scott Morfee, this production marks the New York premiere of Orson's Shadow, which debuted at the Steppenwolf Theatre (Chicago). Together, Planetearth Partners and Scott Morfee presented the recent Off-Broadway production of 'BUG' by Tracy Letts, as well as 'Eat The Taste' by Greg Kotis and 'Underneath The Lintel' by Glen Berger. Scott Morfee's other credits include the acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Tracy Letts's 'Killer Joe'.