A: Is for stars joining Art revived

Producers David Richenthal, Eric Falkenstein and Randall Wreghitt are pleased to announce that Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee Matthew Modine (“And the Band Played On,” Short Cuts), Jennifer Morrison (Fox series “House M.D.,” the film Star Trek) and Tony Award winner Elizabeth Franz (Death of a Salesman) have joined the cast of the first revival of The Miracle Worker. The Tony Award winning play celebrates its 50th Anniversary of opening on Broadway.

Previously announced, The Miracle Worker will be directed by Kate Whoriskey (Ruined), will star Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) and Tony Award nominee Alison Pill (The Lieutenant of Inishmore) as Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan, iconic roles made famous by Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke in the Tony Award winning play and landmark feature film adaptation.

A veteran of over 50 feature films Matthew Modine will make his Broadway debut in The Miracle Worker. He starred in Birdy, Married to the Mob, Vision Quest, Full Metal Jacket, Orphans, Pacific Heights and On Any Given Sunday. He earned Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations for his performance in HBO's critically acclaimed and Emmy Award winning drama “And the Band Played On.” On stage he starred in the critically acclaimed Hartford Stage production of To Kill a Mockingbird and in the world premiere of Matthew Modine Saves the Alpacas at the Geffen Playhouse, a satire about the film industry.

Jennifer Morrison will make her Broadway debut in The Miracle Worker. She is best known for her role as “Dr. Allison Cameron” on the critically acclaimed television series “House M.D.” She recently appeared in the feature film Star Trek as “Captain James Kirk’s” mother “Winona.” Following making her film debut opposite Richard Gere and Sharon Stone in Intersection she has appeared in the feature films Stir of Echoes, Grind, Surviving Christmas and Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Morrison studied with the celebrated Steppenwolf Theatre Company and earned a theater degree from Loyola University.

Tony Award winner Elizabeth Franz returns to Broadway for the first time since starring in the 2002 Tony Award nominated production of Morning’s at Seven for which was nominated for Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. She is best known for her Tony Award winning performance as “Linda Loman” in the 1999 production of Death of a Salesman.

The Miracle Worker will be staged in the round for the first time at Circle in the Square Theatre (235 West 50 Street) and will opening Wednesday, March 3, 2010. Additional casting will be announced shortly.

Set in the South in the 1880s, THE MIRACLE WORKER tells the story of real-life blind and deaf Medal of Freedom winner Helen Keller, who suddenly lost her sight and hearing at the age of 19 months, and the extraordinary teacher who taught her to communicate with the world, Annie Sullivan.
THE MIRACLE WORKER originally opened at The Playhouse Theatre on October 19, 1959 and was awarded the 1960 Tony Award® for Best Play in addition to garnering leading lady Anne Bancroft a Tony Award® for Best Actress in a Play for the role of Annie Sullivan and a Theatre World Award for newcomer Patty Duke for her portrayal of Helen Keller. Both actresses received Academy Awards® for their work in the feature film adaptation.

www.miracleworkeronbroadway.com

Now this is a revival of a F.A.C.T.