Superior Donuts: original Steppenwolf ensemble to reprise roles on Broadway
All of the original Steppenwolf ensemble are to reprise their roles in the upcoming Broadway premiere of Superior Donuts, having originated their roles last year in its world premiere at Chicago�s Steppenwolf Theatre.
Joining the previously announced Michael McKean, are Jane Alderman (Lady Boyle), Kate Buddeke (Officer Randy Osteen), Cliff Chamberlain (Kevin McGee), Michael Garvey (Kiril Ivakina), Jon Michael Hill (Franco Wicks), Robert Maffia (Luther Flynn), James Vincent Meredith (Officer James Hailey), Yasen Peyankov (Max Tarasov).
With the exception of Michael McKean and Kate Buddeke, the ensemble are making their Broadway debut. As with its world premiere, the production will be directed by Tina Landaum who is also making her debut on Broadway.
Superior Donuts, the new American play by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Tracy Letts follows Letts� Tony Award winning 'August: Osage County' into The Music Box Theatre, opening on 1 Oct 2009, following previews from 16 Sep. The drama is currently booking through to 3 Jan 2010.
The show is Steppenwolf's second Broadway transfer in three years. The first being Tracy Letts's 'August:Osage County, ' directed by Anna D. Shapiro, which opened at Broadway's Imperial Theatre on 4 Dec 2007, before transferring to the Music Box Theatre, where it closed on 28 Jun 2009. The production played 18 previews and 648 regular performances. 'August:Osage County' was a critical success and won 5 Tony Awards - including Best Play and Best Director.
Tracy Lett's comic-drama, Superior Donuts, is about 'Arthur Pryzbyszewski,' who owns a decrepit donut shop in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. 'Franco Wicks,' a black teenager is his only employee, and he wants to change the shop for the better.
The Steppenwolf production of Superior Donuts will be produced on Broadway by Jeffrey Richards, Jean Doumanian, Steve Traxler and Jerry Frankel, the producing team behind August: Osage County.
Tracy Letts received the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his critically-acclaimed play August: Osage County, currently playing on Broadway at The Music Box Theatre following engagements in 2007 and the National Theatre in London in 2008. Letts is also the author of Man from Nebraska, which was produced at Steppenwolf in 2003 and was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize; Killer Joe, which has been produced in Chicago, London and New York; and Bug, which has played in New York, Chicago and London.
Tina Landau most recently directed The Tempest and Tracy Letts' Superior Donuts at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, where she is an ensemble member, as well as The Time of Your Life (also Seattle Rep, A.C.T.), The Diary of Anne Frank, The Cherry Orchard, and Charles Mee's Berlin Circle and Time to Burn, among others.
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