Broadway Goes Country: Clifford Odets Revival Opens on Broadway
By Andrew Gans
27 Apr 2008
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Morgan Freeman, Frances McDormand and Peter Gallagher.
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Academy Award winners Frances McDormand and Morgan Freeman and screen and stage star Peter Gallagher head the cast of the Broadway revival of Clifford Odets' The Country Girl, which officially opens at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre April 27 at 7 PM.
Directed by Tony winner Mike Nichols, the cast boasts Freeman as Frank Elgin, McDormand as Georgie Elgin and Gallagher as Bernie Dodd, with Chip Zien (Into the Woods) as Phil Cook, Remy Auberjonois (Frost/Nixon) as Paul Unger, Anna Camp (The Scene at Second Stage) as Nancy Stoddard, Lucas Caleb Rooney (Henry IV at Lincoln Center) as Larry and Joe Roland (On the Line) as Ralph.
The limited engagement, which began previews at the Jacobs April 3, is currently scheduled to run through July 20.
The Country Girl, according to press notes, "is a classic backstage story. The title character, Georgie (Frances McDormand), is married to actor Frank Elgin (Morgan Freeman), once a great theatre star, now down on his luck. When Frank is offered a major role by hotshot director Bernie Dodd (Peter Gallagher), he has the chance to make a major comeback."
The creative team features Tony winner Tim Hatley (scenic design), Academy Award nominee Albert Wolsky (costume design), Tony winner Natasha Katz (lighting design), Acme Sound Partners (sound design) and David Brian Brown (hair design).
The Country Girl is produced on Broadway by Ostar Productions and Bob Boyett.
The Country Girl bowed on Broadway in November 1950 at the Lyceum Theatre. The original cast featured Paul Kelly as Frank Elgin with Uta Hagen as Georgie Elgin. Hagen won a Tony Award for her performance; Boris Aronson's scenic design was also honored with a Tony.
Morgan Freeman earned a Tony nomination and a Drama Desk Award for his work in The Mighty Gents and has also appeared on Broadway in Hello, Dolly!; The Dozens; Purlie; and The Gospel at Colonus. Freeman won the Academy Award for his performance in "Million Dollar Baby" and was nominated for his roles in "The Shawshank Redemption," "Driving Miss Daisy" and "Street Smart."
Frances McDormand was Tony and Drama Desk-nominated for her work in the 1988 revival of A Streetcar Named Desire, and also appeared on Broadway in Awake and Sing!. McDormand won her Oscar for her performance in "Fargo" and was nominated for her roles in "North Country," "Almost Famous" and "Mississippi Burning."
Peter Gallagher received a Tony nomination for his performance in the 1986 revival of Long Day's Journey Into Night. His other Broadway credits include Noises Off, Guys and Dolls, The Real Thing, The Corn Is Green, A Doll's Life and Grease.
Mike Nichols received an Academy Award for Best Director for the 1968 classic "The Graduate." He was also Oscar-nominated for Best Director for his work on "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?," "Silkwood" and "Working Girl." On Broadway, Nichols received Tony Awards for directing Monty Python's Spamalot, The Real Thing, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, Plaza Suite, Barefoot in the Park and Luv and The Odd Couple.
Tickets, priced $76.50-$100, are available by calling (212) 239-6200 or by visiting www.telecharge.com.
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