Sam Waterston, Shirley Knight Head US Premiere of Old Masters at Long Wharf

Long Wharf Theatre will present the US premiere of The Old Masters by Simon Gray Jan. 19 to Feb. 13, 2011 on the Mainstage.

The cast is comprised of Sam Waterston (Bernard Berenson), Rufus Collins (Edward Fowles), Brian Murray (Joseph Duveen), Shirley Knight (Mary Berenson) and Heidi Schreck (Nicky Mariano). The production will be directed by Michael Rudman. The creative team is comprised of Alexander Dodge (Set Design), Toni-Leslie James (Costume Design), Peter Kaczorowski (Lighting Design), John Gromada (Sound Design and Original Music), and Jack Doulin (Casting). The stage manager is Bonnie Brady.

Long Wharf Theatre’s production of The Old Masters precedes an anticipated Broadway run produced by John Martello and Elliot Martin.

“This is a very beautiful and brilliant play. Like most of Simon’s plays, it is about so many different things. It is certainly about art and money … it’s about old friends. It’s about old rivalries and it’s about life and death, facing the end of your life,” Edelstein said. “This is a great project, having all of these great artists together to do this important play about this important subject.”

The play, written in 2004 and previously performed in London’s West End, takes place under the menacing shadow of Mussolini in 1937. Two aging lions joust over the value of art and money. Just outside Florence, famous art historian Bernard Berenson (played by Waterston) and notorious art dealer Joseph Duveen (portrayed by Murray) edge toward a revealing final encounter as their fascinating relationship erupts on stage.

Long Wharf Theatre has a long history of performing Gray’s works, including the award-winning production of Quartermaine’s Terms, produced during the 1982-83 season, then transferring to Playhouse 91 in 1983. The show won an OBIE Award that year for ensemble performance. In addition, Long Wharf Theatre produced the much acclaimed The Common Pursuit.

For more information about the show, call 203-787-4282 or visit www.longwharf.org.