To Be Or Not To Be announces cast

Manhattan Theatre Club has announced casting for the upcoming world premiere Broadway production of Nick Whitby�s To Be Or Not To Be, based on the 1942 motion picture 'To Be Or Not To Be.' The production will mark Whitby�s New York playwrighting debut.

Craig Bierko and Jan Maxwell will head the cast, which will also feature Peter Benson, Steve Kazee, Michael McCarty, Kristine Nielsen, Brandon Perler, Rocco Sisto and Marina Squerciati. The production will be directed by three-time Tony Award nominee Casey Nicholaw ('The Drowsy Chaperone,' 'Monty Python�s Spamalot').

To Be Or Not To Be will be the first production of Manhattan Theatre Club�s 2008-2009 season. The production will open at the Biltmore Theatre on 2 Oct 2008, following previews from 11 Sep 2008.

To Be Or Not To Be: At the Polski Theatre in 1939 Warsaw, Joseph (Bierko) and Maria Tura (Maxwell) are about to open yet another smash with their theatrical troupe. As the German invasion gets underway, the theatre is closed by the censors, forcing the troupe to face desperate times. But when a handsome young bomber pilot enlists their help to catch a spy, what is a group of actors to do?

Complete casting will be announced in the coming weeks.

The creative team for To Be Or Not To Be will include: Anna Louizos (Scenic Design), Gregg Barnes (Costume Design), Howell Binkley (Lighting Design) and Darron L West (Sound Design).

Biographies:

Peter Benson (Rowicz). Broadway: 'The Pajama Game' (2006), 'Wonderful Town' (�2003), 'Little Me' (1998 revival), 'Cabaret' (2001 revival), 'An American Daughter' (1997) and 'State Fair' (1996).

Craig Bierko (Josef) made his Broadway debut playing 'Harold Hill' in 'The Music Man' (2000 revival) for which he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Other Broadway credits: 'Thou Shalt Not' (2001).

Steve Kazee (Sobinsky) recently appeared last year as �Starbuck� in the Roundabout Theatre Co. production of '110 in the Shade' (2007 revival). Other Broadway credits include: Monty Python�s Spamalot as �Sir Lancelot� and Edward Albee�s Seascape (2005 revival).

Jan Maxwell (Maria) has twice been nominated for a Tony Award for her work in 'Coram Boy' ( 2007) and 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' (2005). Other Broadway credits include: 'Sixteen Wounded' (2004), 'The Dinner Party' (2000), 'The Sound of Music' (1998 revival), 'A Doll's House' (1997 revival), 'Dancing at Lughnasa '(1991) and 'City of Angels' (1989).

Michael McCarty (Colonel Erhard). Broadway: Mary Poppins, 'Oklahoma!' (2002 revival), 42nd Street (2001 revival), Sweeney Todd (1989 revival), Big River (1985), Teddy & Alice (1987), Oliver! (1984 revival), Amadeus (1980) and 'King of Hearts' (1978).

Kristine Nielsen (Anna). Broadwayappears on Broadway in Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Other Broadway credits include: 'A Streetcar Named Desire' (2005 revival), The Green Bird (2000), Jackie: An American Life (1997), The Iceman Cometh (1985 revival).

Brandon Perler (Young Grunberg) is making his Broadway debut.

Rocco Sisto (Silewsky/Magician�s Assistant). Broadway: 'Amadeus' (1999 revival) and 'A Month in the Country '(1995 revival). Recent Off-Broadway: 'The Palace of the End' (Epic Theatre Ensemble) and 'Iphigenia 2.0.'

Marina Squerciati (Eva) is making her Broadway debut. Off-Broadway: 'Beauty of the Father,' directed by Michael Greif at The Manhattan Theatre Club.