The New Group is presenting the world premiere of The Starry Messenger written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan as the first production in its 2009-2010 season. This production plays a limited Off-Broadway engagement from October 26 - December 12 at The New Group @ Theatre Row, with Official Opening Night now set for Monday, November 23 at 8:00 PM. The production celebrated the show with its stars and fans on November, 16 and BWW was there!
The Starry Messenger features Matthew Broderick as "Mark" and Catalina Sandino Moreno as "Angela," with J. Smith-Cameron as Mark's wife "Anne."
This production also features Stephanie Cannon (TV: "Law & Order"), Kieran Culkin (Film: Igby Goes Down), Merwin Goldsmith (B'way: Ain't Broadway Grand; Off-B'way at The New Group: Thousand Years), Grant Shaud (TV: "Murphy Brown;" Off-B'way: After Ashley) and Missy Yager (Off-B'way at The New Group: Kenneth Lonergan's This is Our Youth).
Kenneth Lonergan's playwriting credits include This is Our Youth (Drama Desk nom, The New Group - 1996), The Waverly Gallery (Pulitzer Prize nom) and Lobby Hero (Drama Desk nom). His screenwriting credits include Analyze This, You Can Count on Me (Oscar and Golden Globe noms) and Gangs of New York (Oscar nom), among others. The Starry Messenger marks Lonergan's return to the New York stage following 2002's Lobby Hero.
Set Design is by Derek McLane (B'way: Grease, I Am My Own Wife; Off-B'way at The New Group: Groundswell, Rafta, Rafta..., Aunt Dan and Lemon, numerous others), Costume Design is by Mattie Ullrich (B'way: The Women; Off-B'way at The New Group: Things We Want, Roar), Lighting Design is by Jason Lyons (B'way: Rock of Ages, The Threepenny Opera, Nine; Off-B'way at The New Group: Groundswell, Rafta, Rafta..., Two Thousand Years, numerous others) and Sound Design is by Shane Rettig (Off-B'way at The New Group: Groundswell, Rafta, Rafta..., Rich Boyfriend).
The New Group (Scott Elliott, Artistic Director; Geoff Rich, Executive Director): The most recent 2008-2009 season began with the U.S. premiere of Kevin Elyot's Mouth to Mouth followed by Eugene O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra and concluded with the critically acclaimed Groundswell. The company's 2007-2008 season featured the premiere of Jonathan Marc Sherman's Things We Want directed by Ethan Hawke, Mike Leigh's Two Thousand Years and Ayub Khan-Din's Rafta, Rafta.... The 2006-07 season featured Jay Presson Allen's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Wallace Shawn's The Fever and Bernard Weinraub's The Accomplices. Other past productions include David Rabe's Hurlyburly, Mike Leigh's Abigail's Party, Smelling a Rat, Goose-Pimples and Ecstasy, Wallace Shawn's Aunt Dan and Lemon, Kenneth Lonnergan's This is Our Youth, Kevin Elyot's My Night With Reg, and many more. The New Group is a recipient of the 2004 Tony® Award for Best Musical (Avenue Q).
The Starry Messenger plays at The New Group @ Theatre Row (The Acorn Theatre / 410 West 42nd Street, between 9th & 10th Avenues) as follows: Monday @ 8:00 PM, Tuesday @ 7:00 PM, Wednesday - Saturday @ 8:00 PM, with a matinee on Saturday @ 2:00 PM. Please note, there is an added performance on Sunday, October 25 at 3:00 PM and no performance on Thursday, November 26 (Thanksgiving).
Tickets may be arranged through Ticket Central at www.ticketcentral.com or (212) 279-4200, or at the Theatre Row Box Office (12:00-8:00 PM daily). Tickets are $60.00 plus $1.25 restoration fee. For more information, visit www.thenewgroup.org.
Photos by Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.
Kenneth Lonergan
Kenneth Lonergan
Kenneth Lonergan and J. Smith-Cameron
Kenneth Lonergan and J. Smith-Cameron
Kenneth Lonergan and J. Smith-Cameron
Kenneth Lonergan and J. Smith-Cameron
Kenneth Lonergan and J. Smith-Cameron
J. Smith-Cameron
J. Smith-Cameron
Kieran Culkin
Kieran Culkin
Kieran Culkin
Kieran Culkin
Matthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick and Kenneth Lonergan
Matthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick and Catalina Sandino Moreno
Matthew Broderick and Catalina Sandino Moreno
Tate Donovan
Tate Donovan
Tate Donovan
Tate Donovan
Scott Elliott
Merwin Goldsmith
Merwin Goldsmith
Josh Hamilton
Josh Hamilton
Josh Hamilton
Catalina Sandino Moreno
Catalina Sandino Moreno
Catalina Sandino Moreno
Grant Shaud
Grant Shaud
Grant Shaud and Stephanie Cannon
Grant Shaud
Wallace Shawn
Wallace Shawn
Missy Yager
Missy Yager
Missy Yager
Missy Yager
Sam Trammell and Missy Yager
Sam Trammell
Sam Trammell
Sam Trammell
and Rosie O'Donnell
Rosie O'Donnell
Rosie O'Donnell
Matthew Broderick and Rosie O'Donnell
Matthew Broderick and Rosie O'Donnell
Matthew Broderick and Rosie O'Donnell
