casting at Actors Rep

Contrary to what one portion of Actors Rep's recent mail-out brochure says, David Ogden Stiers (*MASH,*, the voice of Jumba in *Lilo and Stitch*) will not be appearing in *Long Day's Journey Into Night* — he got a movie, and, unless we're grossly misinformed about Equity scale and what ARt pays its actors, we're pretty sure that Hollywood cuts bigger paychecks.

*All the Great Books (abridged)" will open Aug. 24 with, as previously announced here, a cast of Patrick Treadway, Reed McColm and Carter J. Davis (*Humble Boy* at ARt). Wes Deitrick will direct. It'll be the first-ever ARt production in which Michael Weaver is not involved either as director or actor.

For *LDJiN* (Sept. 21-Oct. 6), Davis (in his third consecutive ARt production, which is a new world record) and Damon Mentzer will play the two Tyrone sons. Weaver went to Seattle recently to audition actresses for the part of Mary Tyrone; Wes Deitrick will play patriarch James Tyrone.

The Thanksgiving play, Stephen Temperley's *Souvenir* (Nov. 23-Dec. 8) — about Florence Foster Jenkins, the wealthy matron who rented out opera auditoriums in the 1930s and '40s because she was convinced, incorrectly, that she could sing beautifully — will feature Karen Nelsen, who played the title role in *Mrs. Warren's Profession* at ARt two years ago.

Four of the five roles in *Rabbit Hole* (next January) have been cast: Weaver and Page Byers (*How the Other Half Loves,* "Blithe Spirit* at ARt) as the grieving husband and wife; Caryn Hoaglund as Izzy, the wacky sister; Jimmy James Pendleton as the high school kid who caused the family's tragedy; and the Tyne Daly role of the mother/mother-in-law/grandmother has yet to be cast. Tralen Doler (who directed *Moonlight and Magnolias* last season at ARt and appeared in *Dirty Blonde* and in *The Dazzle* in previous seasons) will direct.

The April play will spoof Steve and Edie Gorme: It's called *Pete 'n' Keely" ... check out www.curtolds.com