Jennings, Topol et al. Join Pacino and More in Shakespeare in the Park, 6/9 - 8/1

The Public Theater has announced additional casting for the 2010 Shakespeare in the Park summer season featuring THE WINTER'S TALE, directed by Michael Greif, and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, directed by Daniel Sullivan, in repertory June 9-August 1.

The repertory company for THE WINTER'S TALE and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, consecutively, features Gerry Bamman (Antigonus/Duke of Venice), Francois Battiste (Florizel/Lord/Salerio), Linda Emond (Hermione - The Winter's Tale), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Young Shepherd/Lord/Launcelot Gobbo), Bill Heck (Lord/Lorenzo), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Paulina/Nerissa), Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Leontes - The Winter's Tale), Byron Jennings (Camillo/Antonio), Heather Lind (Perdita/Jessica), Hamish Linklater (Autolycus/Lord/Bassanio), Jesse L. Martin (Polixenes/Gratiano), Nyambi Nyambi (Lord/Prince of Morocco), Al Pacino (Shylock - The Merchant of Venice), Lily Rabe (Portia - The Merchant of Venice), Matthew Rauch (Dion/Jailer/Solanio), Richard Topol (Lord/Tubal) and Max Wright (Old Shepherd/Prince of Arragon).

Shakespeare in the Park 2010 is not The Public Theater's first foray into rotating repertory. Henry IV, Parts One and Two were performed in rep in the Newman Theater in 1991, and 20 years earlier, the Henry VI plays and Richard III were condensed into The War of the Roses which was presented in rep and then performed in one all-night marathon in Central Park.

Gerry Bamman (Antigonus/Duke of Venice) returns to The Public, where his past appearances have included The Controversy of Valladolid, Richard III, The Master and Margarita, Museum, Henry V, Alice in Wonderland, Our Late Night, and The Seagull. His most recent New York theater credits include The Glass Cage at The Mint Theater Company and Nixon's Nixon at Manhattan Class Company.

Francois Battiste (Florizel/Lord/Salerio) won an OBIE Award for his performance in The Public's 2009 production of The Good Negro. He recently appeared in Lincoln Center Theater's Broke-ology and on Broadway in the revival of Prelude to a Kiss (Roundabout). His additional theater credits include Quiver and Twitch (NYS&F), Broke-ology (Williamstown), and productions at Dallas Theatre Center; Chicago Shakespeare, The Goodman, Victory Gardens, Famous Door, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, and Lookingglass Theatre.

Linda Emond (Hermione) is making her Public Theater debut. Her many stage credits include Yasmina Reza's Life (x) 3 (Tony nomination) and A Spanish Play, Tony Kushner's Homebody/Kabul (OBIE and Lortel Awards; Drama Desk nomination), The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (with Al Pacino), the Broadway revival of 1776, Craig Lucas's The Dying Gaul, and Nine Armenians at MTC (Drama Desk nomination). Her recent film credits include Julie & Julia, Stop-Loss, Across the Universe, and North Country.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Young Shepherd/Lord/Launcelot Gobbo) returns to the Delacorte, where he appeared in Daniel Sullivan's A Midsummer Night's Dream (2007) and George C. Wolfe's On the Town (1997). He is a series regular on ABC's "Modern Family" and has also appeared on television in "Do Not Disturb," "The Class" and "Ugly Betty." His Broadway credits include On the Town and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, for which he earned Drama Desk and Drama League award nominations.

Bill Heck (Lord/Lorenzo) made his Public Theater debut in the Shakespeare in the Park production of Much Ado About Nothing (2004). He was recently seen in all three parts of Horton Foote's critically acclaimed Orphans Home Cycle at the Signature Theater Company.

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