The Orphans� Home Cycle: full cast announced

The Orphans� Home Cycle, the world premiere of a three part theatrical event by the late Academy Award and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Horton Foote, will feature a company of 22 actors under the direction of Michael Wilson.

The work will be co-produced in the 2009-2010 season by Hartford Stage and Signature Theatre Company. The production will run from 3 Sep - 24 Oct 2009 at Hartford Stage and 5 Nov 2009- 6 Mar 2010 at Signature Theatre Company.

The Orphans� Home Cycle begins with a father's death in a small Texas town at the turn of the century, a loss that sends his son, 'Horace Robedaux,' on an odyssey through the darkest corners of the heart as he learns to become a husband, father and patriarch. Bill Heck ('The Closer,' 'Medium,' 'Without a Trace,' 'CSI: New York') will play the central role of the adult 'Horace Robedaux,' with Maggie Lacey ('Dividing the Estate,' 'Inherit the Wind,' 'Our Town') as his wife, 'Elizabeth Vaughn Robedaux.'

The playwright�s daughter, Hallie Foote (2009 Tony Award nominee, 'Dividing the Estate'), will play Elizabeth�s mother, 'Mary Vaughn' and James DeMarse ('Dividing the Estate,' 'The Trip to Bountiful') will play 'Henry Vaughn.'

The ensemble is rounded out by Devon Abner, Pat Bowie, Leon Addison Brown, Justin Fuller, Jasmine Harrison, Henry Hodges, Georgi James, Annalee Jefferies, Virginia Kull, Matt Mulhern, Gilbert Owour, Jenny Dare Paulin, Pamela Payton-Wright, Bryce Pinkham, Stephen Plunkett, Lucas Caleb Rooney, Dylan Riley Snider and Charles Turner.

The design team for The Orphans� Home Cycle includes Jeff Cowie and David Barber (Set Design), David Woolard (Costume Design), Rui Rita (Lighting Design), John Gromada (Original Music and Sound Design), Peter Pucci (Choreography), Ralph Zito (Voice/Dialect Coach) and Mark Olson (Fight Director).

Each part of the three part cycle will be staged individually as well as in repertory and one-day marathons. Audiences may choose to see the individual parts or the entire trilogy.

The Orphans� Home Cycle encompasses nine plays by Horton Foote, together for the first time and newly adapted by Foote prior to his death on 4 Mar 2009 at the age of 92. Foote adapted each of the full-length plays, some previously produced and others never before seen, into one epic cycle.

Classical in its breadth and scope, The Orphans� Home Cycle begins with a father�s death in a small-Texas town at the turn of the century, a loss that sends his son, Horace Robedaux, on an odyssey through the darkest corners of the heart as he learns to become a husband, father, and patriarch.

Set in Foote�s fictitious town of Harrison, Texas and based partly on the childhood of Foote's father and the courtship and marriage of his parents, the cycle is a wide-ranging, intricate work.

Part 1: The Story of a Childhood begins at the turn of the 20th century with the plays 'Roots in a Parched Ground,' 'Convicts' and 'Lily Dale' and follows Horace Robedaux in his formative years. It will be performed in New York at the Signature Theatre Company's Peter Norton Space from 5 Nov 2009 - 6 Mar 2010

Part II: The Story of a Marriage focuses on the married life of Horace Robedaux and his new wife and is made up of the plays 'The Widow Claire,' 'Courtship' and 'Valentine�s Day. It will be performed in New York at the Signature Theatre Company's Peter Norton Space from 3 Dec 2009 - 6 Mar 2010

Part III: The Story of a Family consists of the plays '1918,' 'Cousins' and 'The Death of Papa' and begins with the turmoil of World War I and ends with the characters looking to the future of their family and land. It will be performed in New York at the Signature Theatre Company's Peter Norton Space from 7 Jan 2010 - 6 Mar 2010

Three of the individual plays, 'Roots in a Parched Ground,' 'Convicts' and 'Cousins' will be receiving their world premieres as part of the cycle.

Hallie Foote, a frequent interpreter of her father�s work comments, �My father left a wonderful legacy with this newly adapted version of The Orphans� Home Cycle. My family and I are excited to be partnering with Hartford Stage and Signature Theatre Company to honor the magnificent talent and years of work that went into writing these nine plays. I feel very connected to my father and his writing, and I look forward to participating in the production and bringing his fascinating characters -- my extended family -- to life during the coming year.�

Signature Theatre Company devoted its 1994-1995 season to Horton Foote, including the world premieres of 'The Young Man from Atlanta' (for which Foote won the Pulitzer Prize) and 'Laura Dennis' and the New York premieres of 'Night Seasons' and 'Talking Pictures.' Signature produced the world premiere of his 'The Last of the Thorntons' in its 2000-2001 season and the award-winning production of 'The Trip to Bountiful' in 2005 in the company�s 15th anniversary season.

The Orphans� Home Cycle replaces Signature Theatre Company�s previously announced season devoted to Suzan-Lori Parks, which has been delayed due to Ms. Parks� current workload and other professional obligations. Signature hopes to celebrate her work in a future season.

Horton Foote (Playwright) had his first play, 'Texas Town,' produced Off-Broadway in 1941. Since then he has had plays produced on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off Off-Broadway and at many theaters around the country. Prizes for his writing include 'The Young Man From Atlanta' (Pulitzer Prize), 'The Trip to Bountiful' (Lucille Lortel Award, Outstanding Revival), 'The Carpetbagger�s Children' (American Theater Critics 2002 Best Play Award). He received Academy Awards for his screenplay adaptation of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and his original screenplay, 'Tender Mercies.'

Michael Wilson (Director) most recently directed Horton Foote�s Dividing the Estate for Lincoln Center Theater on Broadway. A longtime collaborator with Mr. Foote, he has directed the premieres of his plays The Carpetbagger�s Children (Hartford Stage and Lincoln Center Theater) and The Death of Papa (Hartford Stage); the New York premieres of Dividing the Estate and The Day Emily Married (Primary Stages); and the 50th Anniversary revival of The Trip to Bountiful (Hartford Stage and Alley Theatre).