The third cycle of guest stars has officially joined the cast of the critically acclaimed revival of Eric Bentley’s 1972 docudrama ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN, now in performances at New York City Center Stage (i). Directed by Tony Award winner Anna D. Shapiro, the limited engagement continues through September 11. Check out photos and video of the new cast.
Appearing through August 2 are two-time Tony Award winner Norbert Leo Butz as Abe Burrows, Emmy Award nominee T.R. Knight as Larry Parks, Tony Award nominee Harry Lennix as Paul Robeson, Emmy Award winner and Golden Globe nominee Bob Odenkirk as Lionel Stander, and Golden Globe nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Molly Ringwald as Lillian Hellman.
They join the production’s six returning principal performers, who will appear throughout the 15-week engagement: three-time Tony Award nominee Brooks Ashmanskas, Jason Babinsky, Tony Award nominee Steven Boyer, Emmy and Grammy Award winner Adam Kantor, Drama Desk Award winner Frederick Weller, and Grammy Award winner, Emmy and Academy Award nominee Michael McKean. Melvin Abston, Noah Pyzik, and Bill Timoney serve as understudies.
Additional guest casting has also been announced for the final six weeks of the run, including Tony Award winner Santino Fontana and Tony Award nominee Steven Pasquale, with additional casting to be revealed.
A rotating all-star cast brings Bentley’s landmark work to life, transporting audiences into the tense atmosphere of the House Committee on Un-American Activities hearings of the 1940s. Constructed entirely from original hearing transcripts, the play presents the words of artists including Arthur Miller, Jerome Robbins, Paul Robeson, Elia Kazan, Lillian Hellman, Abe Burrows, and Lionel Stander as they grapple with impossible choices between protecting their careers, preserving their integrity, or implicating others. More than 50 years after its premiere, the production continues to resonate with its examination of political intimidation, censorship, and moral courage.
The creative team includes Scenic Designer Andrew Boyce, Costume Designer Johanna Pan, Hair and Wig Designer Brittany Hartman, Lighting Designer Donald Holder, Sound Designer Milbo Music, Projections Designer Brittany Bland, and casting by The Telsey Office.
ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN is produced by Jeffrey Richards, Rebecca Gold, and Ira Pittelman. Tickets are now available through the New York City Center box office and online.
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