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BAREFOOT IN THE PARK

TO OPEN THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16

AT THE CORT THEATRE

First Broadway Revival of

Neil Simon’s Classic Romantic Comedy Stars

AMANDA PEET, PATRICK WILSON,

JILL CLAYBURGH, and TONY ROBERTS

Directed by Scott Elliott

 

The Broadway revival of Neil Simon’s romantic comedy Barefoot in the Park will open on Thursday, February 16 at 6:45pm at the Cort Theatre (138 West 48^th Street).  The production, which began previews on January 24, stars Amanda Peet, Patrick Wilson, Jill Clayburgh, and Tony Roberts.  Scott Elliott (Abigail’s Party, The Women, the upcoming The Threepenny Opera) directs the production, the play’s first Broadway mounting since its 1963 premiere. 

Neil Simon’s second play, Barefoot in the Park is the classic romantic comedy about conservative young lawyer Paul Bratter (Patrick Wilson) and his free-spirited newlywed bride Corie (Amanda Peet).  The comedy follows the young couple as they move from the giddy joy of a honeymoon at The Plaza into the crazy reality of starting married life in a fifth-floor walkup in New York City.

Barefoot in the Park premiered on Broadway in 1963 and ignited Neil Simon’s career as America’s most popular playwright.  Starring Robert Redford and Elizabeth Ashley and directed by Mike Nichols, the production ran for four years and over 1,500 performances.  Nominated for four Tony Awards including Best Play, Barefoot in the Park won a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play for Mr. Nichols.  In 1967, Paramount Pictures made the play into a successful film starring Jane Fonda and Mr. Redford, directed by Gene Saks. 

Barefoot in the Park also features Adam Sietz and Sullivan Walker.  The production has set design by Derek McLane, costume design by Isaac Mizrahi, lighting design by Jason Lyons, and sound design by Ken Travis. 

Barefoot in the Park is being produced by Robyn Goodman, Roy Gabay, Walt Grossman, Geoff Rich, Danzansky Partners, Ergo Entertainment, Ruth Hendel, in association with Paramount Pictures.

WHO’S WHO IN THE COMPANY

AMANDA PEET is making her Broadway debut.  Last season she appeared in the Public Theatre’s production of Neil LaBute’s This Is How It Goes, opposite Ben Stiller and Jeffrey Wright, directed by George C. Wolfe.  Other stage credits include Whale Music (Rattlestick Theater Company), The Country Club (Long Wharf) and Awake and Sing! (Jewish Repertory Theatre opposite Stephen Lang and Tovah Feldshuh).  Her feature film credits include Syriana, Something’s Gotta Give opposite Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson, Woody Allen’s Melinda and Melinda, A Lot Like Love, The Whole Nine Yards, Igby Goes Down, Changing Lanes and Identity.  She has completed filming The Martian Child with John Cusack, Fast Track with Zach Braff and Jason Bateman and Griffin and Phoenix with Dermot Mulroney. 

PATRICK WILSON has been twice nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his roles in Oklahoma! and The Full Monty (also Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award nominations).  With Barefoot he will be appearing in his first non-musical production on Broadway.  Off Broadway credits include Bright Lights, Big City (Drama Desk nomination, Drama League Award) and City Center’s Tenderloin.  National tours: Miss Saigon, Carousel.  Regional: Sweet Bird of Youth, Romeo and Juliet, Lucky in the Rain.  Film: HBO’s Angels in America (Golden Globe, Emmy Award nominations), The Phantom of the Opera, The Alamo, and upcoming in 2006: Hard Candy, American Gothic, Running with Scissors, Purple Violets, and Little Children, opposite Kate Winslet and Jennifer Connolly.

JILL CLAYBURGH was most recently seen on Broadway in the Richard Greenberg play A Naked Girl on the Appian Way.  Jill has been nominated for two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes, and two Emmy Awards for roles in An Unmarried Woman, Starting Over, First Monday in October, La Luna, “Hustling” and “Nip/Tuck”.  She has starred in 25 feature films, including I'm Dancing As Fast As I Can, Silver Streak, Semi Tough and Never Again. Television audiences know her from numerous roles in series and movies including “Nip/Tuck,” “The Practice” and “Ally McBeal.”  On Broadway, she appeared in a revival of Noel Coward's Design for Living, the original production of Tom Stoppard's Jumpers, and the Tony Award-winning musicals Pippin and The Rothschilds.  Off-Broadway she recently originated the role of “Sunny” in The Exonerated and has appeared in many additional Off-Broadway and regional productions.  She will be seen in the upcoming film adaptation of Augusten Burroughs' Running with Scissors scheduled for release later this year.

TONY ROBERTS has appeared in more than 20 Broadway plays and musicals, including the original production of Barefoot in the Park, where he replaced Robert Redford.  He has twice been nominated for the Tony Award: in 1968 for How Now, Dow Jones (Best Actor in a Musical) and in 1969 for Play It Again, Sam (Best Supporting Actor in a Play). In 1969 he won the London Critics Poll Award for his performance in Promises, Promises.  Mr. Roberts has starred on Broadway in Jerome Robbins' Broadway, Sugar, Arsenic and Old Lace, Absurd Person Singular, Don't Drink the Water, Doubles, They're Playing Our Song, The Sisters Rosensweig, Victor/Victoria, and The Tale of the Allergist's Wife.  Mr. Roberts’ major film roles include the Academy Award-winning Annie Hall; Play it Again, Sam; and Serpico.  Other films include A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy, Star Spangled Girl, Stardust Memories, Radio Days, The Taking of Pelham, 18 Again, Amityville 3D, and Switch.  He has won three Audio Book Awards and appeared in the New York City Opera productions of Brigadoon and South Pacific. 

Playwright NEIL SIMON has been represented on Broadway by Come Blow Your Horn; Little Me; Barefoot in the Park; The Odd Couple; Sweet Charity; The Star‑Spangled Girl; Plaza Suite; Promises, Promises; Last of the Red Hot Lovers; The Gingerbread Lady; The Prisoner of Second Avenue; The Sunshine Boys; The Good Doctor; God’s Favorite; California Suite; Chapter Two; They’re Playing Our Song; I Ought To Be In Pictures; Fools; Brighton Beach Memoirs; Biloxi Blues (1985 Tony Award); the female version of The Odd Couple; Broadway Bound; Rumors; Lost in Yonkers (1991 Pulitzer Prize, Tony Award); Jake’s Women; The Goodbye Girl; Laughter on the 23rd Floor; Proposals; The Dinner Party and 45 Seconds From Broadway.   Off‑Broadway: London Suite, Hotel Suite and Rose's Dilemma. Films include Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, The Out‑of‑Towners, Plaza Suite, The Heartbreak Kid, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, Murder by Death, The Sunshine Boys, The Goodbye Girl, The Cheap Detective, California Suite, Chapter Two, Seems Like Old Times, Only When I Laugh, I Ought to Be in Pictures, Max Dugan Returns, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues and Lost in Yonkers.

Director SCOTT ELLIOTT: At the Tony Award-winning The New Group, where he is Founding Artistic Director, he directed Abigail's Party, Hurlyburly, Aunt Dan and Lemon, Smelling a Rat, Goose-Pimples, Ecstasy, Comedians, What The Butler Saw,  Betwixt, Cranes, East is East, Hazelwood Jr. High, Curtains, Andrew After Dark.  His producing credits with New Group include: Avenue Q, Sin: A Cardinal Deposed, Terrorism, This is Our Youth, Roar, Critical Darling, A Likely Story, The Women of Lockerbie, My Night with Reg, Another American, Servicemen, The Fastest Clock in the Universe, The Flatted Fifth, Paradise Island, Some Voices, and Halfway Home.  Broadway: The Women and Three Sisters (at the Roundabout, where he is an Artistic Associate and will be directing The Threepenny Opera this season), Present Laughter.  Other credits: Kiki & Herb: Coup de Théatre, The Monogamist, The Ride Down Mt. Morgan and The End of the Day.  Film: A Map of the World.

ISAAC MIZRAHI established his first clothing business in 1987 and has won three CFDA Designer of the Year awards.  Mr. Mizrahi has designed costumes for movies, theatre, dance and opera in collaboration with Mark Morris, Twyla Tharp, Mikhail Baryshnikov and The Roundabout Theatre Company.  In 2002, he received the Drama Desk Award for costume design (The Women).  Since 1995, Mr. Mizrahi has been the subject of an acclaimed documentary (Unzipped), appeared off-Broadway (Les Mizrahi), and hosted “The Isaac Mizrahi Show” on the Oxygen Network.  In 2003, he launched a successful collection of women’s sportswear and accessories at Target and a couture line for Bergdorf Goodman.  His new daily talk show, Isaac, recently premiered on the Style Network. 

Barefoot in the Park will be performed on the following schedule: Tuesday – Saturday at 8pm, Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm, and Sunday at 3pm.  Tickets are priced $26.25 (balcony and rear boxes, all performances), $86.25 (orchestra and mezzanine, Tues – Thurs at 8pm), and $96.25 (orchestra and mezzanine, Wed at 2pm, Fri at 8pm, Sat at 2pm and 8pm, Sun at 3pm).  Ticket prices include a $1.25 facilities fee.