(Minneapolis/St. Paul) The Guthrie Theater today announced the full cast and creative team for The Birdsacclaimed Irish playwright and director Conor McPhersons adaptation of the riveting Daphne du Maurier short story. Directed by Henry Wishcamper, this deliciously chilling psychological portrait of fear and alienation will have its American premiere at the Guthrie in the Dowling Studio.

To create this immersive and ominous theatrical experience, Wishcamper has assembled a stellar cast of Twin Cities actors. On the heels of their portrayals of the miserable miser Ebenezer Scrooge and his surly housekeeper Merriweather in the Guthries annual holiday treat, A Christmas Carol, J.C. Cutler and Angela Timberman will team up again to take on the roles of Nat and Diane, respectivelytwo strangers who form a bond to survive their harrowing experience.

Cutler and Timberman are joined by Summer Hagen (A Christmas Carol, Arms and the Man) as Julia, a mysterious young woman who brings discord to the desperate situation, and Stephen Yoakam (The Burial at Thebes, The Winters Tale, A Delicate Balance) as the cryptic, watchful neighbor Tierney.

The Birds is a gripping, unsettling and moving look at human relationships in the absence of our greater society and moral/legal code, notes Wishcamper. The birds themselves create an ominous feeling of claustrophobia, but the real thrills in the play come out of the conflicts and interactions of the people onstage. I am very excited to work with this amazing group of actors in the intimate confines of the Dowling Studio.

In an isolated, abandoned house, strangers Nat and Diane take refuge from the unnerving masses of birds that attack everyone around them. They find relative sanctuary but not comfort or peace: theres no electricity, little food and the birds always return. And they worry about a nearby neighbor, who may or may not still be alive and watching them. Soon another refugee, the young, attractive Julia, arrives with some news of the outside world but her presence also brings discord. The uncertain survival of the three becomes even more doubtful when paranoia creeps into their little refuge, adding an internal threat to match the external threat of the birds.

The artistic team includes Wilson Chin (Set Designer), Jenny Mannis (Costume Designer), Matthew Richards (Lighting Designer), Scott W. Edwards (Sound Designer), Michael Lupu (Dramaturgy), Peter Moore (Fight Coordinator), Jason Clusman (Stage Manager), Meaghan Rosenberger (Assistant Stage Manager) and Amanda Friou (Assistant Director).

Single tickets for the Guthries production start at $24 and are now on sale through the Guthrie Box Office at 612.377.2224, toll-free 877.44.STAGE, 612.225.6244 (Group Sales) and online at www.guthrietheater.org.

Alongside Brian Friel and Martin McDonagh, Dublin native Conor McPherson is considered one of the best contemporary Irish playwrights. With work that lies somewhere between the existential angst of Harold Pinter and the fierceness of David Mamet, McPherson plumbs the depths of disappointed hopes, broken relationships and troubled lives with wit and a great talent for storytelling. His more than a dozen plays include The Weir (1997), Dublin Carol (2000), Shining City (2004) and The Seafarer (2006). Among his many awards are the Olivier Award for Best Play for The Weir and Tony Award nominations for Best Play for both Shining City and The Seafarer.

Henry Wishcamper is the artistic director of Katharsis Theater Company. He is a Drama League Directing Fellow and a graduate of Yale University. His directing credits include Off-Broadway: Spirit Control (MTC), Graceland (LCT3), Port Authority (Atlantic Theater Company), Elvis People (New World Stages), The Polish Play (Katharsis Theater Company), Pullman Car Hiawatha (Keen Company; Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Revival of a Play); Regional: Animal Crackers (The Goodman, Joseph Jefferson nomination), Talking Pictures (The Goodman), Engaging Shaw and The Mystery of Irma Vep (The Old Globe), Art (Barrington Stage), The Seafarer and Speech & Debate (Hartford TheaterWorks), The Good Thief (Portland Stage) and Broadway: Assistant director August: Osage County and Shining City.

The GUTHRIE THEATER (Joe Dowling, Director) was founded by Sir Tyrone Guthrie in 1963 and is an American center for theater performance, production, education and professional training. The Tony Award-winning Guthrie Theater is dedicated to producing the great works of dramatic literature, developing the work of contemporary playwrights and cultivating the next generation of theater artists. With annual attendance of nearly 500,000 people, the Guthrie Theater presents a mix of classic plays and contemporary work on its three stages. Under the artistic leadership of Joe Dowling since 1995, the Guthrie continues to set a national standard for excellence in theatrical production and performance. In 2006, the Guthrie opened its new home on the banks of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, the Guthrie Theater houses three state-of-the-art stages, production facilities, classrooms and dramatic public lobbies. www.guthrietheater.org

FACT SHEET

The Guthrie Theater presents

THE BIRDS

by Conor McPherson

from the short story by Daphne du Maurier

directed by Henry Wishcamper

In an isolated, abandoned house, strangers Nat and Diane take refuge from the unnerving masses of birds that attack everyone around them. They find relative sanctuary but not comfort or peace: theres no electricity, little food and the birds always return. And they worry about a nearby neighbor, who may or may not still be alive and watching them. Soon another refugee, the young, attractive Julia, arrives with some news of the outside world, but her presence also brings discord. The uncertain survival of the three becomes even more doubtful when paranoia creeps into their little refuge, adding an internal threat to match the external threat of the birds.

Cast: J.C. Cutler (Nat), Summer Hagen (Julia), Angela Timberman (Diane) and Stephen Yoakam (Tierney).

Artistic Team: Henry Wishcamper (Director), Wilson Chin (Set Designer), Jenny Mannis (Costume Designer), Matthew Richards (Lighting Designer), Scott W. Edwards (Sound Designer), Michael Lupu (Dramaturgy), Peter Moore (Fight Coordinator), Jason Clusman (Stage Manager), Meaghan Rosenberger (Assistant Stage Manager) and Amanda Friou (Assistant Director).

Performance Dates: February 25- April 8, 2012

Opening Night: Wednesday, February 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Performance Times: Tuesday through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.

Sundays at 7 p.m.

Matinees on select Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m.

visit www.guthrietheater.org for the complete performance schedule

Location: Guthrie Theater Dowling Studio

818 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55415

Pricing: Single tickets priced $24 - $39

(Discounts for children, students and seniors available)

Tickets: Tickets may be purchased online at www.guthrietheater.org

Guthrie Box Office: 612.377.2224 or 877.44.STAGE

Box Office hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on non-performance days)

Group Sales: 612.225.6244 or 877.225.6211

ACCESS PERFORMANCES

Learn more online at http://www.guthrietheater.org/accessibility

ASL INTERPRETATION

Friday, March 23, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.

AUDIO DESCRIBED

Described by Susan Howe

Friday, March 23, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.

If you have specific program questions or need an accommodation, please contact the Accessibility Office by phone at 612.225.6390 (voice) or 612.225.6391 (TTY) or email at accessibility@guthrietheater.org.

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