The Common Pursuit: Full cast announced

The Roundabout Theatre have announced the full cast for their Off-Broadway production of Simon Grey's comic-drama The Common Pursuit, opening at the Laura Pels Theatre on 24 May 2012, following previews from 4 May, and running through to 29 Jul 2012.

Directed by Moisés Kaufman, the cast will feature Kristen Bush as 'Marigold,' Kieran Campion as 'Peter,' Josh Cooke as 'Stuart,' Jacob Fishel as 'Martin,' Tim McGeever as 'Humphry' and Lucas Near-Verbrugghe as 'Nick.'

The design team includes Derek McLane (Sets), Clint Ramos (Costumes) and David Lander (Lights).

The Common Pursuit chronicles twenty years in the lives of six friends, from their ambitious collegiate days to their surprising discoveries in the real world. Idealistic Cambridge student Stuart Thorne enlists some of his classmates to help him launch a new literary magazine. With the pursuit of great literature as their common thread, they become lifelong friends. But when damaging secrets crop up and business demands creep in, Stuart is faced with some unexpected decisions.

The Common Pursuit had its American premiere at Long Wharf Theater in 1985. The off-Broadway production in 1986 ran 352 performances and received the 1987 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play.

Bios:

Kristen Bush (Marigold) understudied the role of 'Sara Melody' in the Roundabout's Broadway production of 'A Touch of the Poet.' Off-Broadway credits include 'Kin' (Playwrights Horizons, dir. Sam Gold), 'Photograph 51' (Ensemble Studio Theatre) and 'King Lear' (with Kevin Kline, The Public Theatre). Film & TV include "Liberal Arts" (dir. Josh Radnor), "Synechdoche, NY" (dir. Charlie Kaufman), "L&O:SVU," "The Good Wife," "Blue Bloods," "Suits," "Person of Interest," "Unforgettable" and the upcoming "ElemeNtarY."

Kieran Campion (Peter) appeared in the Roundabout production of 'Pygmalion.' Other Broadway credits include 'The American Plan,' the Tony-winning 'Journey's End' and 'Our Town.' Off-Broadway: 'House and Garden' (MTC), 'Everett Beekin' (Lincoln Center), 'Substitution' (Soho Theater) among others, and regionally in Westport and Williamstown. Film and TV: "The Adjustment Bureau," "Children of Invention," "The Sopranos," "Blue Bloods," "CSI: (NY and Miami)" and as the ethically challenged "DA Henry North" in the now-dead "All My Children."

Josh Cooke (Stuart) is making his NY stage debut. Film credits include: "I Love You Man," "Quarantine 2," "Group Sex," "A Fork in the Road," "YPF," "Wasted" and "Partners." Television credits include: "Dexter," "Better With You," "The Closer," "Scrubs" and others.

Jacob Fishel (Martin). Broadway: 'Fiddler on the Roof.' Off-Broadway: 'The Broken Heart' (TFANA), 'Titus Andronicus' (The Public Lab), 'Women Beware Women' (Red Bull Theatre) and 'Macbeth' (NYSF). Television: "Cold Case," "Medium," "Without a Trace," "Numb3rs." Film: "How I Got Lost."

Tim McGeever (Humphry) is currently understudying the role of 'Robert' in the Roundabout's Broadway production of 'Don't Dress for Dinner.' He made his Broadway debut in 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses,' also for the Roundabout. Off-Broadway credits include 'Chaucer in Rome' (Lincoln Center), 'The White Devil' (BAM), 'Lifegame' (Improbable UK), 'Tartuffe' (Delacorte) and 'Fully Committed' (Cherry Lane). Tim played 'Zazus' on the national tour of 'The Lion King.'

Lucas Near-Verbrugghe (Nick). Broadway: 'Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson' and 'The Ritz.' Off-Broadway incude 'Assistance' (Playwrights Horizons), 'Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson' (Public), 'Macbeth' (Delacorte), 'Oorah!' (Atlantic), 'boom' (Ars Nova), 'The Most Excellent Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet' and 'As You Like It' (CSC and Florence, Italy). Regional: 'The Proud' (Dance Mission, San Francisco), 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' at the Pittsburgh Public Theater and 'The Tempest,' 'The Merchant of Venice' and 'The Glass Menagerie' all at Texas Shakespeare Festival. TV: "Law & Order," "Law & Order: SVU" and "Guiding Light." Film: "My Idiot Brother" and "Bridge to Bourne" (short).

Moisés Kaufman received a 2004 Tony nomination for Best Direction of a Play for 'I Am My Own Wife,' and a further nomination for Best Play for '33 Variations,' which he both wrote and directed. He work was recently seen on broadway when he directed Rajiv Joseph's 'Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo,' which starred Robin Williams. Off-Broadway he recently directed "Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays." Other notable Off-Broadway credits include 'I Am My Own Wife' for which he was nominated for a 2004 Lucille Lortel Nomination for Outstanding Director, and his play 'Gross Indecency:The Trials of Oscar Wilde' nominated for a 1998 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play.

Simon Grey wrote more than 30 stage plays amongst them 'Butley' and 'Otherwise Engaged' (which both received Evening Standard Awards for Best Play), 'Close of Play,' 'The Rear Column,' 'Quartermaine's Terms' (winner of 8 Obie Awards), 'The Common Pursuit,' 'Hidden Laughter,' 'The Late Middle Classes' (winner of the Barclay's Best Play Award), 'Japes,' 'The Old Masters' (his ninth play to be directed by Harold Pinter) and 'Little Nell,' which premiered at the Theatre Royal Bath in 2007, directed by Peter Hall. In 1990 Simon Gray was awarded the BAFTA Writer's Award. He was appointed CBE in the 2005 New Year's Honours for his services to Drama and Literature.