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TWELVE ANGRY MEN

You will be mad if you miss this one

Roundabout Theatre Company’s national tour of the greatest courtroom drama of all time will be presented by Dallas Summer Musicals’ Broadway Contemporary Series February 27-March 4, 2007

Dallas Summer Musicals’ Broadway Contemporary Series will present the Roundabout Theatre Company’s national touring production of the greatest courtroom drama of all time, starring Richard Thomas and George Wendt in TWELVE ANGRY MEN, written by Reginald Rose and directed by Scott Ellis.  TWELVE ANGRY MEN comes to The Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm Street, February 27-March 4, 2007.

Single tickets are on sale now at The Box Office, 542 Preston Royal Shopping Center, or any Ticketmaster outlet.  Tickets, priced from $15-$60, may be charged by phone by calling 214-631-ARTS (2787) or purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com.  For groups of 12 or more, please call 214-426-GROUP.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) announced the full company for the national touring production of their Broadway smash hit TWELVE ANGRY MEN written by Reginald Rose and directed by Scott Ellis.

This is the first touring production for the not-for-profit organization.  Joining previously announced cast members Richard Thomas (Juror #8) and George Wendt (Juror #1) will be Randle Mell (Juror #3), Charles Borland (Juror #6), Todd Cerveris (Juror #2), T. Scott Cunningham (Juror #12), Julian Gamble (Juror #10), Jeffrey Hayenga (Juror #4), David Lively (Juror #11), Alan Mandell (Juror # 9), Mark Morettini (Juror #7), Patrick New (Guard) and  Jim Saltouros (Juror #5).

Roundabout Theatre Company’s Broadway production of the searing courtroom drama, TWELVE ANGRY MEN, was the longest running production at their home, the American Airlines Theatre, running for 32 weeks.  This production marked the first time the show was ever seen on a Broadway stage.  Its record-breaking run earned three Tony Award nominations and unanimous praise from the critics. “The undeniable hit of the Broadway dramatic season!” raved Jesse McKinley (New York Times).  John Simon (New York Magazine) proclaimed it “A classic in the making!” and Michael Kuchwara (Associated Press) described it as, “Exhilarating!  An absorbing theatrical experience.”

In TWELVE ANGRY MEN, a young delinquent awaits sentencing for the manslaughter of his aggressive father.  Twelve jurors are corralled in a room for their deliberations in a murder trial.  One juror feels that there is a “reasonable doubt” - to the frustration of his eleven colleagues - thereby preventing a quick verdict.  During the heated debate, the hidden preconceptions and assumptions of the jurors are revealed.  When faced with playing the hangman, each juror is forced to face himself.

TWELVE ANGRY MEN,” originally written as a teleplay that appeared in 1954 on CBS’ drama series “Studio One,” was one of the brightest jewels of television’s Golden Age.  The story was subsequently made into a major motion picture in 1957.  Reginald Rose, who would go on to create and write scripts for the television series, “The Defenders,” wrote a stage version in 1964.  In 1997, Showtime, in response to questions about “reasonable doubt” raised during the OJ Simpson trial, produced a new movie version with a racially diverse cast.

The design team for TWELVE ANGRY MEN includes: Allen Moyer (sets), Michael Krass (costumes), Paul Palazzo (lights) and Brian Ronan (sound).

Biographies:

RICHARD THOMAS (Juror #8) recently appeared on Broadway in Richard Greenberg’s A Naked Girl on the Appian Way (Roundabout Theatre Company) and in Michael Frayn’s Democracy. Prior New York appearances include As You Like It at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, Terrence McNally’s The Stendhal Syndrome (Primary Stages), Edward Albee’s Everything in the Garden and Tiny Alice, Steve Tesich’s Square One (Second Stage), Lincoln Center Theater’s The Front Page, Circle Repertory’s The Seagull, Lanford Wilson’s Fifth of July, Mary Drayton’s The Playroom and his Broadway debut, Sunrise at Campobello in 1958. He has performed a variety of classical roles around the country, including Hamlet, Richard III and Peer Gynt for Mark Lamos (Hartford Stage); Richard II for Michael Kahn (the Shakespeare Theatre), Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Angelo in Measure for Measure for Sir Peter Hall (the Ahmanson); The Count of Monte Cristo for Peter Sellars (Kennedy Center); and Danton’s Death for Robert Wilson (the Alley). He also appeared twice in Art in London’s West End. He has starred in more than 40 films for television, including Terrence McNally’s “Andre’s Mother” and the recently aired “Wild Hearts” for Hallmark and Stephen King’s mini-series “Nightmares and Dreamscapes” for TNT. He has appeared in a range of theatrical films including Winning, Last Summer, Red Sky at Morning, 9/30/55 and Wonder Boys. His television series have included “It’s a Miracle,” “Just Cause” and “The Waltons,” for which he won an Emmy Award in 1972. Mr. Thomas lives in New York with his wife Georgiana and two of their seven children, Montana and Kendra.

GEORGE WENDT (Foreman, Juror #1) is best known to television audiences as Norm Peterson from “Cheers.”  The role earned him six Emmy® nominations.  Mr. Wendt began his career with The Second City, Chicago’s famed improvisational company.  He starred in Art, both on Broadway and in London in 1998.  Mr. Wendt appeared in the critically acclaimed stage production of David Mamet’s Lakeboat, which was directed by Joe Mantegna, and frequently performs onstage in New York, Los Angeles and his native Chicago.  In the summer of 1989, Wendt traveled to the USSR to portray the title role of Oblomov in a BBC adaptation of Ivan Goncharov’s novel.  His feature film credits include Forever Young, Guilty By Suspicion, Fletch, Gung Ho, Rupert’s Land, and Outside Providence.  Also on the feature front, he recently starred in the indie films Kids in America and King of the Ants.  Wendt is married to Bernadette Birkett, who co-starred on the comedy series “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show.”  They currently live in Los Angeles with their four sons and one daughter.

RANDLE MELL (Juror #3) is a veteran of over 30 years in theatre, film and television. He has performed on Broadway as File in The Rainmaker, as Malcolm in Macbeth with Christopher Plummer and Glenda Jackson, and as Garry Lejeune in the comedy hit Noises Off. Off-Broadway he appeared as John Proctor in The Crucible for The Roundabout Theatre, Murk in the premier of John Patrick Shanley’s Savage In Limbo, and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for his performance in The Cradle Will Rock, directed by John Houseman. His work in Regional Theatres includes lead roles in Closer at The Mark Taper Forum, Antigone at South Coast Rep., The Glass Menagerie at The La Jolla Playhouse, Crime and Punishment at The Arena Stage, and numerous productions at The Actors Theatre of Louisville. He has appeared on Film in Robert Altman’s Cookie’s Fortune, Lawrence Kasdan’s Grand Canyon and Wyatt Earp, John Sayles’ City of Hope and Eight Men Out, Kevin Costner’s The Postman, and Peter Weir’s Fearless. Among his many Television movies and series episodes are “24”, “Kingpin”, “Dragnet”, “Separate But Equal” (with Sydney Poitier), Arthur Miller’s “The American Clock”, “The Kennedys of Massachusetts”, “Law and Order”, “Nash Bridges”, “O Pioneers” and “The Cradle Will Rock for PBS”. Mr. Mell is a graduate of The Juilliard School and is an adjunct faculty member at USC.

CHARLES BORLAND (Juror #6).  Broadway: Twelve Angry Men, Roundabout;  A Streetcar Named Desire, Roundabout (Standby: Stanley, Mitch). Off Broadway: Deathvariations, OsloElsewhere @ 59E59; Lascivious Something, Cherry Lane; Dirty Story, LAByrinth; Out of Sterno, Cherry Lane: Regional: Hamlet, Long Wharf; Merchant of Venice, Portland Center Stage; Smash, The Old Globe; Romeo and Juliet, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival; Antigone, Chautauqua: Television: “Law and Order: CI”, “Jonny Zero”, “Whoopi”, “Third Watch”, “Ed”, “Hack”, “All My Children”, “Guiding Light”, “As The World Turns”. Film: Honored (Upcoming), Into The Fire: Training: The Juilliard School; LAMDA.

TODD CERVERIS (Juror #2). Broadway: Twentieth Century, w/Alec Baldwin and Anne Heche.  Off-Broadway: Almost, Maine; The Booth Variations; Time and the Conways.  Also: Public Theater, Lincoln Center, The Women’s Project, Target Margin, Clubbed Thumb.  Regional: Arena Stage, La Jolla Playhouse, Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, Old Globe Theater, Portland Stage, George Street Playhouse, Cincinnati Playhouse, Repertory Theater of St. Louis, Grove Theater Center, The Acting Company, New York Stage & Film, Adirondack Theater Festival.  International: The Booth Variations (Edinburgh Fringe Fest), Actors’ Touring Company (UK/Greece).  Film/Television: One True Thing, Living and Dining, Information Age, The Rake’s Progress, “Law & Order,” “The Great Pretender,” “First Steps.”

T. SCOTT CUNNINGHAM (Juror #12) Broadway: Love! Valour! Compassion!, Design For Living, Tartuffe.  Off-Broadway: As Bees In Honey Drown, Music From A Sparkling Planet (Drama Dept.); Pterodactyls, The Eros Trilogy (Vineyard Theatre); Wintertime, The Dear Boy (Second Stage); Fit To Be Tied (Playwright’s Horizons); New England (Manhattan Theatre Club); What You Get And What You Expect (NYTW).  Nat’l Tour: Take Me Out.  Regional theatres : Kennedy Center, Old Globe, Huntington, Williamstown Theatre Festival, McCarter, Geffen Playhouse, South Coast Rep, Seattle Rep, Alliance, NY Stage & Film, Westport Playhouse.  Film/TV:  Serendipity, Out of Towners, Our Very Own, Margaret, The Boys of Sunset Ridge, Law & Order, L & O: Criminal Intent, Queens Supreme and Maximum Bob.

JULIAN GAMBLE (Juror #10):  Broadway: Democracy, Invention of Love, The Iceman Cometh, You Never Can Tell, Jumpers, Dinner at Eight, A Month in the Country.  Film/Television: Recurring roles on “Third Watch”, “Law and Order”, “One Life to Live”, “Days of Our Lives”.  Guest starring roles on “Special Victims Unit”, “Criminal Intent”, “Willy”, “Life Stories”, “LA Law”, “Remember Wenn”, “Dallas”.  The films First Born w/Elisabeth Shue and Quiet Killer. The pilots “Invisible Man” and “Hier”.  Regional: Over 100 productions for such theatres as The Old Globe, Williamstown, Southcoast Rep,  McCarter Theatre, Denver Center, Cincinnati Playhouse, Rep Theatre of St Louis, Studio Arena, LA Theatre Center, GEVA, The Intiman, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, the Arizona Theatre Co. and many others.

JEFFREY HAYENGA (Juror #4) has appeared on Broadway in The Elephant Man, Long Days Journey Into Night, Ah Wilderness, and most recently in The Roundabout Theatre's production of The Man Who Came to Dinner.  Among his many Off-Broadway credits, his favorites include As Bees In Honey Drown, Sister Mary Explains It All For You, Hapgood, and Jeffrey.  He toured in the west coast premiere of Terrence McNally's Love! Valour! Compassion! and last year appeared in Jane Martin's Good Boys at ACT Seattle. Recent TV and film appearances include "Law and Order Criminal Intent", "Star Trek Enterprise", "Jack and Bobby", "Jag" and the independent film Memron for which he and the ensemble cast won "Best in Festival" at Slamdance.

DAVID LIVELY (Juror #11). Most recently returned from Stratford-upon-Avon, U.K. having performed the title role in the Chicago Shakespeare theater’s production of Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, at the Swan Theater as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Complete Works Festival.  Other Chicago Shakespeare credits include Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, King John, The Winter’s Tale, The School for Scandal, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Drury Lane Theatre; Benjamin Franklin in 1776 (Jeff nomination), Moonface Martin in Anything Goes (Jeff nomination), Sherlock’s Last Case, The Sunshine Boys, Camelot, The Mousetrap, My Fair Lady, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Foreigner; Marriott Theatre: Beauty and the Beast, 1776 Benjamin Franklin (Jeff nomination); Court Theatre: Hay Fever; Theatre at the Center; High Society; Organic/Touchstone Theatre; Coming of the Hurricane; Candlelight’s Forum Theatre; Sherlock’s Last Case, Season’s Greetings, Charley’s Aunt, Funny Money; Drury Lane Theatre, Evergreen Park: Catch Me If You Can. Regional theatre; Indiana Repertory Theatre, Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, Virginia Stage Company, Geva Theatre, Stage One: The Louisville Children’s Theatre, Horse Cave Theatre, Asolo Touring Theatre, New American Theater, New Stage Theatre, and the Kennedy Center. Television: “What about Joan and Cupid” (ABC), “Prison Break” (Fox), the CBS miniseries “George Washington”, and CBN’s “Another Life”. Film includes the independent feature The Opera Lover recently seen on Showtime and TMC. An accomplished percussionist for 35 years, David once had the profound honor of being conducted by the great Aaron Copeland.

ALAN MANDELL (Juror #9).  Broadway: Impossible Marriage. Off-Broadway: The Beard of Avon, Waiting for Godot.  Regional: The Taming of the Shrew (Williamstown Theatre Festival), The Merchant of Venice, The Country Wife, Krapp’s Last Tape, Enemies (Lincoln Center Repertory), The Birthday Party, The Potting Shed, The Entertainer, The Collection, A Gift of Fury (San Francisco Actors’ Workshop).  International: Endgame and Waiting for Godot, both directed by Samuel Beckett, in London, Paris, Berlin, Dublin, Barcelona, and Siberia by Felix Mitter in Moscow. Center Theatre Group: The Royal Family (Ahmanson Theatre), The Dream Coast (Taper, Too).  Other L.A.: The Illusion Company, The Film Society, It’s A Man’s World, Anthony and Cleopatra (L.A. Theatre Center), The Tempest (Garden Grove Shakespeare Festival), The Road to Mecca, The Cherry Orchard (South Coast Repertory).  Film: Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Marrying Man, Endgame, Midnight Witness, Shortbus.  Television: “Blind Ambition”, “Dark Victory”, “Enemies”, “79 Park Avenue”, “Eight is Enough”.

MARK MORETTINI (Juror #7) is thrilled to be angry in Roundabout Theatre’s tour of Twelve Angry Men. A proud member of AEA, SAG and AFTRA, Mark most recently was seen as C.O. Rizzo in season 1 of Fox’s “Prison Break”.  Handcuffed and beaten several times during the season, his character unwittingly allowed the prisoners to escape in the finale. Mark has appeared on the Chicago stage most recently in Bleacher Bums at the Royal George Theatre with Gary Sandy. Prior to that, he appeared in London Suite, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Lost in Yonkers, and Lend Me a Tenor with John Astin, Jamie Farr, Ken Berry and Mickey Rooney, though not all at the same time! Mark can be seen in Let’s Go To Prison with Will Arnett and Dax Shepard, continuing in his tradition of appearing in productions and films beginning with the letter “L.” Mark has also shared the big screen with Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz and Morgan Freeman in Chain Reaction, Robert Downey Jr. and Tommy Lee Jones in U.S. Marshals, Tom Hanks in Road to Perdition, and he arrested Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern in Home Alone II. On television, Mark has been seen in “E.R.”, the hostage episode with Ewan McGregor, many episodes of “Early Edition” as desk sergeant Stern, “The Untouchables”, “Mario and the Mob” and “Two Fathers’ Justice with Robert Conrad”, and many commercials. Mark is also a voice-over actor, having lent his voice to numerous radio and television spots. Born and raised in Rhode Island, Mark currently resides in Northern Illinois.

PATRICK NEW (Guard).  Touring: Tom in the Steppenwolf Theatre production of Time of Your Life at Seattle Reperatory Theatre and A.C.T. (San Francisco), and Steve, others in Famous Door production of Hellcab for the Singapore Arts Festival. Regional: Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice at Indian Reperatory Theatre, Rosencrantz in both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and Hamlet at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival and two seasons with Penninsula Players including Proof, Escanaba in the Moonlight, Tom, Dick, and Harry, The Uneasy Chair, Red Herring. Chicago credits include A Christmas Carol at the Goodman Theatre, Time of Your Life at Steppenwolf Theatre, This Lime Tree Bower, The Lonesome West, Hellcab, Ghetto, Early and Often, A Going Concern and many others at Famous Door Theatre, also Lookingglass Theatre and Folio Theatre Company.  Film: Ali, Tenfold, Flags of Our Fathers. Television: “Cupid” (NBC), and “Workplace” (PBS).

JIM SALTOUROS (Juror #5). A native Chicagoan, Jim is thrilled to be making his debut with Roundabout. His Chicago theatrical credits include: Sideman, at the Steppenwolf Theatre, which toured Colorado, Ireland, and Australia. Other Chicago credits include: A View From the Bridge, The Manchurian Candidate, and A Streetcar Named Desire. Jim was also in the world premiere of Wonderful World - Humana Festival of New American Plays - Actors Theatre of Louisville. Film credits include: Hoods, Do You Wanna Dance, Home Alone II. Television: “Early Edition”, “What About Joan”, “Mind of the Married Man”, “ER”. He’s currently in pre-production for his screenplay, Spin Time.

TWELVE ANGRY MEN is directed by Scott Ellis, the Associate Artistic Director of Roundabout Theatre Company.  For Roundabout, he has directed the recent production of Entertaining Mr. Sloane with Alec Baldwin, Chris Carmack, Richard Easton and Jan Maxwell.  Past Roundabout Broadway productions include Twelve Angry Men (Drama Desk, Tony nom.), The Look of Love, Rodgers & Hart’s The Boys From Syracuse, Arthur Miller’s The Man Who Had All The Luck (Roundabout & Williamstown), The Rainmaker with Woody Harrelson and Jayne Atkinson, 1776 (Drama Desk, Tony nom.), Company (Tony nom.), She Loves Me (Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk, Tony nom), Picnic (Outer Critics nom.) and A Month In The Country with Helen Mirren.  Additional Broadway directing credits include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Steel Pier (Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Tony nom.) and the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway production of The Little Dog Laughed by Douglas Carter Beane.

TWELVE ANGRY MEN is produced by Roundabout Theatre Company, one of the country’s leading not-for-profit theatres.  The company contributes invaluably to New York’s cultural life by staging the highest quality revivals of classic plays and musicals, as well as new plays by established writers.  Roundabout consistently partners great artists with great works to bring a fresh and exciting interpretation that makes each production relevant and important to today’s audiences.  Under the continuing leadership of Artistic Director Todd Haimes, Roundabout is dedicated to the community of artists and loyal audience members that have made it one of New York’s most popular not-for-profit cultural institutions.  For more information, visit their website at www.roundabouttheatre.org.

Dallas Summer Musicals’ Broadway Contemporary Series continues with Disney’s THE LION KING (returning to the Music Hall at Fair Park in Dallas, with BCS subscribers’ week October 9-14; full run September 20-October 21, 2007).  Marvel at the breathtaking spectacle of animals brought to life by award-winning director Julie Taymor, whose visual images for this show you’ll remember forever.  Thrill to the pulsating rhythms of the African Pridelands and an unforgettable score including Elton John and Tim Rice’s Oscarâ-winning song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and “Circle of Life.”  Let your imagination run wild at the Tonyâ Award-winning Broadway sensation Newsweek calls “a landmark event in entertainment.”

Season sponsors for Broadway Contemporary Series, presented by Dallas Summer Musicals, are: The Dallas Morning News, WFAA TV Channel 8, KLUV Radio Station, Mattress Giant, and American Airlines. For more information about Dallas Summer Musicals, call 214-421-5678 or visit the Dallas Summer Musicals website at www.dallassummermusicals.org.

Edited by Madelyn Miller

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