Tom Stoppard's ARCADIA is coming to Broadway for a limited engagement this spring, following a sold out run in London where it was heralded as a "dazzling masterpiece, a glimpse of theatrical heaven" (The Daily Telegraph) and "the greatest play of its time" (The Independent).
Directed by five-time Tony AwardR nominee David Leveaux, ARCADIA is "Stoppard’s richest, most ravishing comedy" (The New York Times) - a witty masterpiece of misunderstanding and quest for knowledge, resonating across centuries.
April 1809, an elegant English country estate: a gifted pupil, proposes a startling theory well beyond her comprehension. All around her, the adults, including her tutor, are preoccupied with secret desires, illicit passions and professional rivalries.
Two hundred years later, two academic adversaries are piecing together puzzling clues, curiously recalling those events of 1809 in their quest for an increasingly elusive truth.
ARCADIA features an exquisite cast including Margaret Colin, Billy Crudup, Raul Esparza, Glenn Fleshler, Grace Gummer, Edward James Hyland, Byron Jennings, Bel Powley, Tom Riley, Noah Robbins, David Turner and Lia Williams. Crudup, who won a Tony Award for his performance in Stoppard's The Coast of Utopia, made his Broadway debut in the 1995 production of ARCADIA. Esparza has received four Tony Award nominations for starring roles on Broadway in Speed-the-Plow (2009), The Homecoming (2008), Company (2007) and Taboo (2004). Lia Williams made her Broadway debut in David Hare's Skylight for which she received a Tony Award nomination and Olivier Award nomination.
Stoppard, one of the most celebrated and prolific playwrights of modern day, has been represented on Broadway with seventeen different productions to date including Rock ’n’ Roll, Jumpers, The Real Thing, Travesties, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and The Coast of Utopia, which received the most Tony Awards of any play on Broadway. David Leveaux's previous collaborations with Stoppard include the Tony Award-winning revival of The Real Thing and the Tony-nominated revival of Jumpers, receiving Tony Award nominations for his direction of both - cybersmackdown.com.
MARGARET COLIN (Lady Croom)
can currently be seen playing the evil “Eleanor” in the television series “Gossip Girl.” She last starred on Broadway in Old Acquaintance, for which she received a Drama League Award nomination for Distinguished Performance. Margaret starred in and won a Theater World Award for playing Jackie Kennedy Onassis in Jackie on Broadway. She also appeared on Broadway in A Day In The Death Of Joe Egg and last season in Six Degrees Of Separation at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, where she has also starred in Sweet Bird Of Youth and On The Razzle. Other New York stage appearances include Defiance (Drama Desk nomination), Aristocrats (Drama Desk nomination), Psychopathia Sexualis, Sight Unseen and Speaking in Tongues. She has played abandoned wives, doctors, lawyers, private eyes and alcoholics as television series leads in “Now and Again,” “Chicago Hope,” “Foley Square,” and “The Wright Verdicts.” She has also starred in many Lifetime, cable and films made for television. Her feature film roles include First Daughter, Unfaithful, Blue Car, The Devil’s Own, Independence Day, True Believer, Three Men And A Baby, Adventures of Sebastian Cole and the forthcoming Camilla Dickinson.
BILLY CRUDUP (Bernard Nightingale)
most recently starred in Adam Rapp’s The Metal Children at the Vineyard Theatre in New York City. Crudup won a Best Performance by a Featured Actor Tony for his role in the Broadway production of The Coast of Utopia, which opened in October 2006. He received Tony nominations for his roles in The Elephant Man and Martin McDonough’s The Pillowman in 2005. Crudup made his Broadway debut as ‘Septimus Hodge’ in Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia, directed by Trevor Nunn, which won him several awards, including the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Debut of an Actor and a Theater World Award. He was also honored with the Clarence Derwent Award from Actor’s Equity for Outstanding Broadway Debut. Crudup has appeared on Broadway in William Inge’s Bus Stop and in the Roundabout Theater’s production of Three Sisters, which earned him a Drama Desk nomination. He also appeared in Oedipus with Frances McDormand, starred in the New York Shakespeare Festival production of Measure for Measure at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, and starred in the off-Broadway run of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui opposite Al Pacino and Steve Buscemi. Crudup received his Masters of Fine Arts from New York University and also attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He resides in New York City.
RAUL ESPARZA (Valentine Coverly)
Since making his Broadway debut in the revival of The Rocky Horror Show (Theatre World Award), Raul Esparza has taken the theater world by storm. He has become only the second actor to receive Tony nominations in all four eligible acting categories. His credits include Speed-the-Plow (Tony, Drama Desk nominations, Best Actor in a Play), The Homecoming (Tony nomination, Best Featured Actor in a Play), Company (Tony nomination, Drama Desk Award, Best Actor in a Musical), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Taboo (Tony nomination, Drama Desk Award, Best Featured Actor in a Musical) and Cabaret. He appeared in Shakespeare in the Park’s Twelfth Night and he has appeared Off-Broadway in The Normal Heart, Comedians and tick, tick… BOOM!, which earned him an Obie Award. In 2005, he received the HOLA Jose Ferer Acting Award, and was a participant in the 2006 and 2010 Sundance Theatre Lab. Outside New York, Esparza portrayed ‘Che’ in the National tour of Evita, and appeared in two musicals at the 2002 Kennedy Center Sondheim Celebration: Sunday in the Park with George and Merrily We Roll Along. His regional theater credits include Leap of Faith at the Center Theatre Group (LA); Company at the Cincinnati Playhouse; Slaughterhouse-Five and Fur at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago; and Arcadia and What the Butler Saw at the Meadow Brook Theatre in Rochester, MI. Esparza made his film debut in Sidney Lumet’s 2006 Find Me Guilty. Other films include Wes Craven’s My Soul to Take and GWB. He has also appeared on TV in “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” and on ABC television series “Pushing Daisies” (recurring). Esparza’s book recording includes Stephen King’s best-selling book Under the Dome. His website is www.raulesparza.com
GLENN FLESHLER (Captain Brice)
Broadway: The Merchant of Venice, A Behanding in Spokane, Guys and Dolls, Spring Awakening. West End: The Lady From Dubuque. Off-Broadway: Mother Courage, Stuff Happens, Measure for Measure (NYSF); King John, Pericles, The Changeling (TFANA), Einstein’s Gift, The Adjustment. Film: All Good Things, Henry’s Crime, Margaret, A Price Above Rubies. T.V.: Recurring roles on “Damages,” “Delocated,” and “Third Watch” as well as appearances in “The Good Wife,” “Fringe,” “Bored to Death,” “Law & Order,” and “Sex and the City.”
GRACE GUMMER (Chloe Coverly)
made her professional acting debut in Kristjan Thor’s Off-Broadway project The Sexual Neuroses of our Parents. After starring in Teen Nick’s series “Gigantic,” she just completed her run as ‘Hero’ in Much Ado About Nothing at the Kirk Douglas Theater in Los Angeles and will next be seen in Tom Hanks’ upcoming film Larry Crowne and J.C. Chandor’s Margin Call. Arcadia will mark her Broadway debut.
EDWARD JAMES HYLAND (Jellaby)
just returned from performing at the Julie Harris Theatre on Cape Cod in Promise, written by Jamie Murphy and directed by John Tillinger. Broadway: Festen, The Man Who Had All The Luck, The Price, and Ah! Wilderness. Off-B’way: Juno And The Paycock. Regional: Ford’s Theatre D.C., Arena Stage, Shakespeare Thr. of D.C., Pittsburgh Public, Williamstown, Huntington Thr., Denver Center Thr., Hartford Stage, Actors Thr. of Louisville, Missouri Rep, and Alabama Shakespeare Festival among others. Film/TV: The Switch, The Happening, The Caller, Asylum Seekers, The Next Big Thing, The Cradle Will Rock, Kinsey, College Road Trip, The Object Of My Affection, L&O, L&O-C.I., Gossip Girl, Guiding Light, One Life To Live among others.
BYRON JENNINGS (Richard Noakes)
Broadway: The Merchant of Venice, Inherit The Wind, Noises Off, Is He Dead?, Macbeth, Accent On Youth, Heartbreak House, A Touch Of The Poet, Twelve Angry Men, The Man Who Came To Dinner, A Month In The Country, Henry IV, Dinner At Eight, The Invention Of Love, Carousel, Sight Unseen. Off-Broadway: The Foreigner, Dealer’s Choice, Waste, Don Juan, Stuff Happens, The Merchant of Venice, On The Open Road, Pericles. Television: “Gossip Girl,” “White Collar,” “Damages,” “Kings,” “Law & Order,” “God In America,” “Liberty.” Film: Julie & Julia, Hamlet, Civil Action, The Ice Storm, A Time To Kill, Quiz Show, A Simple Twist Of Fate, I’m Losing You.
BEL POWLEY (Thomasina Coverly)
trained at Young Blood Theatre Company. On television, her first role was playing series regular ‘Daisy Millar’ in “Mi High” for Kudos TV and the BBC. This was quickly followed by the role of ‘Emma Clayson’ in ITV’s “Whistleblowers” and a second series of “Mi High.” She also played ‘Becky’ in “The Bill” for ITV, the role of ‘The Flower Girl’ in the BBC’s award winning “Little Dorrit,” ‘Letty’ in “Victoria Wood’s Mid Life Crisis” and the leading role of ‘Young Carrie’ alongside Robbie Coltrane in ITV’s three part drama “Murderland.” She has just completed shooting her film debut as ‘Sydney’ in Hallmark’s The Cabin. Her theatre debut in Tusk Tusk and breakout lead role of ‘Maggie’ won her critical acclaim and an Evening Standard Award nomination for Best Newcomer in 2009. Bel is thrilled to be making her Broadway debut in Arcadia.
TOM RILEY (Septimus Hodge)
Theatre: Riverside Studios Theatre includes Hurts Given and Received. Royal Court Theatre includes Paradise Regained, The Vertical Hour, Posh, Censorship, Victory, The Entertainer, The Woman Before. Donmar Warehouse Theatre includes: A House Not Meant To Stand. Film: St. Trinians 2; Happy Ever Afters; Return to House on Haunted Hill; I Want Candy; A Few Days In September. TV: “Monroe,” “Bedlam,” “Bouquet of Barbed Wire,” “No Heroics,” “Poirot: An Appointment with Death,” “Freezing” (Series 1 & 2), “Lost in Austen,” “Lewis: And The Moonbeams Kiss The Sea,” “Marple: Ordeal By Innocence,” “Paparazzi.” Training: LAMDA. Arcadia marks Tom’s Broadway debut.
NOAH ROBBINS (Gus Coverly/Augustus Coverly)
made his Broadway debut as ‘Eugene Morris Jerome’ in the short-lived, but memorable 2009 revival of Brighton Beach Memoirs (Outer Critics Circle nomination) His Off-Broadway debut was as ‘Andy Lipman’ in Primary Stages’ Secrets of the Trade (Clive Barnes nomination). Starting at the age of 11, he performed in several shows at the Kennedy Center with director/choreographer Debbie Allen. His big break, however, was playing Max Bialystock in an off-off-off-off-off-Broadway production of The Producers at his high school. He is honored to be a part of Arcadia.
DAVID TURNER (Ezra Chater)
made his Broadway debut ten years ago in Tom Stoppard’s The Invention of Love. Other Broadway: Sunday in the Park with George, The Ritz, In My Life. Off Broadway: Gutenberg! The Musical!, The Butter and Egg Man, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) , The Last Sunday in June. Six seasons at Williamstown, including: As You Like It with Gwyneth Paltrow, Tonight at 8:30 (dir. Michael Grief), Where's Charley? (dir. Nicholas Martin), and Jessica Stone’s production of Forum, in which he played Philia. New York Stage & Film: On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (dir. Michael Mayer). Touring: Monty Python's Spamalot. TV: "The Good Wife," "Lipstick Jungle." In addition to his stage work (two Helen Hayes nominations), David is also a composer/lyricist (BMI Jerry Harrington Award), the writer and director of a film called The Debut, a professional pianist who’s played Feinstein’s and Birdland, a certified teacher of English to adult learners and a licensed private airplane pilot. An avid traveler, he has visited all seven continents. Training/Education: New Actors Workshop; BA,Williams College; CELTA, Cambridge University ESOL.
LIA WILLIAMS (Hannah Jarvis)
Broadway: Skylight (National Theatre, West End, Broadway – Tony Nomination, Theatre World Award, Oliver Nom). New York: The Homecoming, Celebration/The Room. West End: The Revenger’s Comedies (Olivier Nomination, Critics Circle Award), Daisy Pulls It Off, Absurd Person Singular, Oleanna. Other Theatre: Earthquakes in London, The Hothouse, Mappa Mundi (The National Theatre), Postcards From America and As You Like It (The Royal Shakespeare Company), Eccentricities Of A Nightingale (Gate Theatre Dublin – Best Actress Award) My Child, Oleanna, King Lear (The Royal Court), Lady From The Sea, God Of Carnage, Body Language. TV: “Doc Martin,” “Miss Marple,” “The Last Detective,” “May 33rd” (BBC – BAFTA, RTS Noms), “The Russian Bride” (FIPA Award), “Bad Blood,” “Imogen’s Face,” “A Shot Through the Heart” (HBO), “The Uninvited,” “Flowers of the Forest,” “Seaforth,” “Mr. Wroe’s Virgins.” Film: Jonathan Toomey, Girl From Rio, The King is Alive, Different For Girls, The Fifth Province, Firelight, Dirty Weekend. Radio: “Scenes of Seduction,” “The Raj Quartet,” “Japanese Gothic Tales,” “Easy Virtue,” “Breath of God,” “Season’s Greetings,” “Red Room,” “The Idiots,” “Tom And Viv,” “TS Eliot’s The Four Quartets” and “The Wasteland.” Director: The Stronger (short film) (Best Film Raindance Award and BAFTA Award), Dog Alone (short film), Feathers (short film).