The producers of "Shining City" have announced that they will cancel their fall production of Conor McPherson's drama. In the play, a man visits a therapist after claiming to have seen the ghost of his deceased wife. "Shining City" had been announced to play San Francisco's Curran Theater Sept. 13-Oct. 9 and begin previews at New York's Schoenfeld Theater on Oct. 18.

Producers are Barry and Fran Weissler, Scott RudinScott Rudin/Paramount, Roger Berlind and Debra Black. Regarding the cancellation, a statement from the producers read: "Certain critical production schedule issues could not be resolved in time to meet the current schedule." Meanwhile, "The Pillowman" will play its final performance Sept. 18. The Martin McDonagh drama about a writer accused of murdering children will have played 23 previews and 208 regular perfs. The producers expect the Tony-nominated play to recoup its $2.2 million capitalization prior to closing. 
http://www.variety.com/article/VR?categoryid=1043&cs=1

Conor McPherson's Shining City Indefinitely Postpones B'way Bow
by Broadway.com Staff
August 4, 2005

The Broadway production of Conor McPherson's Shining City, a play that was scheduled toat the Schoenfeld Theatre on November 10, has been indefinitely postponed. According to a production statement, the reason for the postponement is "that certain critical production schedule issues could not be resolved in time to meet the current schedule."
Set in Dublin, Shining City tells the story of a man who comes to a counselor seeking help. He claims to have seen the ghost of his recently deceased wife. But what begins as an unusual encounter becomes a desperate struggle between the living and the dead--a struggle which will shape and define both men for the rest of their lives.

Rufus Sewell and Stanley Townsend were recently announced to headline the play, which was also to feature Geraldine Hughes and Keith Nobbs. Shining City, directed by the author, was scheduled to try out at San Francisco's Curran Theatre from September 13 to October 9. That mounting is also currently off.
http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=516021
Thanks, Uke!

The New York Times -
August 4, 2005

 The Conor McPherson play "Shining City," which was toon Nov. 10 at the Schoenfeld Theater after previews beginning on Oct. 18, has been postponed. The new play, by the author of "The Weir," was also scheduled for the Curran Theater in San Francisco from Sept. 13 through Oct. 9. An announcement from its press representatives attributed the postponement to "certain critical production schedules" that "could not be resolved in time to meet the current schedule." .

Shining City Won't Shine on Broadway This Fall
By Robert Simonson
04 Aug 2005

Conor McPherson's Shining City, announced to have U.S. bows in San Francisco and Broadway this fall, has been postponed, the New York Times reported.

The change was chalked up to "certain critical production schedules" that "could not be resolved in time to meet the current schedule."

Shining City was to have debuted at San Francisco's Curran Theatre Sept. 13 andd Sept. 20 for a run through Oct. 9 as part of the 2005-2006 Best of Broadway season before heading to Broadway's Schoenfeld Theatre beginning Oct. 18 andng Nov. 10.

Original London cast member Stanley Townsend was announced to reprise his role opposite Rufus Sewell (Translations on Broadway, the upcoming "The Legend of Zorro"), Geraldine Hughes (of Off-Broadway's recent Belfast Blues) and Keith Nobbs (recently in the Atlantic Theatre Company's Romance).

The Dublin-set Shining City follows the story of a man who goes to a therapist claiming he saw the ghost of his recently deceased wife. "What begins as just an unusual encounter becomes a desperate struggle between the living and the dead — a struggle which will shape and define both men for the rest of their lives," reads show materials.

Barry & Fran Weissler, Scott Rudin/Paramount Pictures Corporation, Roger Berlind and Debra Black make up the producing team. The work had its world premiere at London's Royal Court Theatre in June of 2004 followed by a run at the Gate Theatre during the 2004 Dublin Theatre Festival.

Playwright and director McPherson is known stateside for his Broadway debut The Weir and Off-Broadway works Dublin Carol, St. Nicholas and This Lime Bower Tree. Other works include Come On Over and Port Authority.
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/94383.html

Theater News
July 25, 2005
TheaterMania.com

Sewell, Townsend, Hughes, and Nobbs to Star in Shining City
By: Brian Scott Lipton

Rufus Sewell

Rufus Sewell, Stanley Townsend, Geraldine Hughes, and Keith Nobbs will star in the American premiere of Shining City, written and directed by Conor McPherson. The show will play at San Francisco's Curran Theater from September 13 through October 9 before beginning Broadway previews at the Schoenfeld Theatre on October 18 in advance of an officialng on November 10.

First presented at London's Royal Court Theater, Shining City is set in the office of Ian, a Dublin therapist. A new patient, John, comes in claiming to have seen the ghost of his recently deceased wife -- an encounter that will change both of their lives. McPherson's previous plays include The Weir (which won the Olivier Award for Best New Play), St. Nicholas, and Dublin Carol. The production will feature scenic design by Santo Loquasto, costume design by Ann Roth, and lighting design by Paul Gallo.

Sewell, who will play Ian, was previously seen on Broadway in Brian Friel's Translations. His big-screen credits include A Knight's Tale, A Man of No Importance, and Carrington, along with the upcoming The Legend of Zorro and The Illusionist. Townsend will repeat his London role of John, for which he earned an Evening Standard Award nomination. He has worked frequently at Dublin's Gate Theater.

Hughes, who will play Nessa, is best known for her solo show Belfast Blues, which played Off-Broadway earlier this year. For the L.A. production of that show, she won the Los Angeles Ovation Award for Best Solo Performance, the Los Angeles Garland Award for Performance, and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Writing. Nobbs, who will play Laurence, was most recently seen Off-Broadway in Romance. Among his other New York credits are The Lion in Winter, Fuddy Meers, Four (for which he won a Lucille Lortel Award), and Dublin Carol.
http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm/story/6389

Rufus Sewell & Stanley Townsend to Headline Shining City on Broadway
Broadway.com
July 26, 2005
by Broadway.com Staff


Rufus Sewell

Rufus Sewell and Stanley Townsend will star in the Broadway production of Conor McPherson's Shining City. Geraldine Hughes and Keith Nobbs will also be featured in the show, which is set toat the Schoenfeld Theatre on November 10.
Sewell previously appeared on Broadway in Translations, for which he won a Theatre World Award. He was nominated for an Olivier Award for his performance as Septimus Hodge in Tom Stoppard's Arcadia. Other theatrical credits include London productions of Making in Better, Macbeth and Luther. His film credits include Twenty-One, Dirty Weekend, A Man Of No Importance, Carrington, Hamlet, Cold Comfort Farm, Victory, The Woodlanders, Dark City, Dangerous Beauty, Martha Meet Frank, Daniel & Laurence (The Very Thought Of You), Illuminata, In a Savage Land, Bless The Child, A Knight's Tale, Uncorked (Higher Love), Carrington, Extreme Ops and the upcoming The Legend of Zorro.
Townsend is the only member of the London production of Shining City to be reprising his role in the U.S. He received a nomination for an Evening Standard Award for his performance in Shining City in the U.K. His other theatrical credits include mountings of Art, Guys and Dolls, Pride and Prejudice, The Dream, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, The Country Wife and The White Devil.
http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=515645
thanks, Rai!

Shining City ToOn Broadway November 10th at The Schoenfeld Theatre
Broadwayworld.com
July 26, 2005 - by BWW News Desk

Barry & Fran Weissler, Scott Rudin/Paramount Pictures Corporation, Roger Berlind and Debra Black will present Rufus Sewell and Stanley Townsend in SHINING CITY, a new play written and directed by Conor McPherson,ng on Broadway Thursday, November 10th at the Schoenfeld Theatre (236 W 45th St). SHINING CITY also features Geraldine Hughes and Keith Nobbs. Preview performances begin Tuesday, October 18th.

The production will play a pre-Broadway engagement at San Francisco's Curran Theatre September 13th to October 9th.

In Dublin a man seeks help from a therapist, claiming to have seen the ghost of his recently deceased wife. But what begins as just an unusual encounter becomes a desperate struggle between the living and the dead - a struggle which will shape and define both men for the rest of their lives.

Under the direction of Conor McPherson, SHINING CITY had its world premiere at London's Royal Court Theatre on June 9, 2004, where it received rapturous reviews. The Daily Telegraph raved, "SHINING CITY is moving, compassionate, ingenious and absolutely gripping." The Sunday Express praised the show as "constantly compelling,yielding the biggest theatrical surprise of the year." "With moments that are literally breathtaking," wrote The Sunday Times, "SHINING CITY springs surprises like a jack-in-the-box. When it finally springs it's hard to stop thinking about it, hard to cram its terrifying questions back under cover."

It subsequently moved to the Gate Theatre Dublin where itd September 28, 2004. Conor McPherson's previous New York credits include The Weir on Broadway and St. Nicholas, This Lime Tree Bower and Dublin Carol off-Broadway.

SHINING CITY will feature scenic design by Santo Loquasto, costume design by Ann Roth and lighting design by Paul Gallo.

Ticket information will be announced shortly.

BIOGRAPHIES

RUFUS SEWELL (Ian) has established himself with an eclectic group of projects in film, television and on the stage. This fall, he will be seen in "The Legend of Zorro" opposite Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta Jones. Sony will be releasing the film nationwide on October 28th. Scheduled for release next year, is "Tristan & Isolde" opposite Sophia Myles and James Franco, and "The illusionist" starring Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti. On stage, Sewell made his West End theatrical debut in 1993 as 'Thomas Kratsky,' the Czechoslovakian hustler in Making It Better, which won him the London Critics Circles' Best Newcomer Award. Sewelld to rave reviews in the Broadway production of Brian Friel's Translations, opposite Brian Dennehy. His other notable theatre credits include Rat In The Skull directed by Stephen Daldry, the title role of Macbeth in London's West End, and, his acclaimed performance in the revival of John Osborne's Luther at the Royal National Theatre. Sewell first gained mainstream attention in 1994, with his television debut as Will Ladislaw in the BBC adaptation of "Middlemarch". This November, he will be seen in BBC's modern adaptation of William Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. Sewell returned to the small screen in 2003 earning rave reviews for the title role in "Charles II" directed Joe Wright for the BBC. Some of his other Hollywood features include "A Knight's Tale, Dark City," "Dangerous Beauty" and "Bless The Child." He also appeared in Christopher Hampton's "Carrington" opposite Emma Thompson and Jonathan Pryce, as well as John Schlesinger's "Cold Comfort Farm," Kenneth Branagh's "Hamlet," John Turturro's "Illuminata" and "The Very Thought Of You" with Joseph Fiennes and Tom Hollander. Sewell studied at London's Central School of Drama before making his film debut in Don Boyd's "Twenty One."

STANLEY TOWNSEND (John) received an Evening Standard Award nomination for his performance in the world premiere engagement of Shining City. He previously appeared at the Gate Theatre Dublin in Pride & Prejudice, Oleanna, The Dream, The Double Dealer and The Cherry Orchard. Other theatre work includes Under the Blue Sky (Royal Court); Remember This, Guys & Dolls and The Little Clay Cart; The Weir; The Gingerbread Mix Up; Amphibians; The Wake, Trinity for Two and Sacred Mysteries; Art; Prayers of Sherkin; Who Shall Be Happy?; Democracy; Speed the Plow; Someone to Watch Over Me; The Plough & The Stars; Saint Oscar; Sexual Perversity in Chicago, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, The Country Wife, Nightshade and The White Devil; I Can't Get Started. His film work includes The Libertine, Inside I'm Dancing, Tulse Luper II, Suzie Gold, Wondrous Oblivion, American Girl, Monsieur N, Mystics, The Van, My Friend Joe, Moll Flanders, Jake's Progress, Beyond Reason, Good Girls, In the Name of the Father, Blue Ice, Into the West, The Miracle and Taffin.

GERALDINE HUGHES (Neasa) just finished touring her award-winning solo show Belfast Blues. Having garnered the 2003 Los Angeles Ovation Award for Best Solo Performance, the Los Angeles Garland Award for Performance, and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Writing, Belfast Blues had successful runs in London, Chicago and the Culture Project in New York. The celebrated actress has received numerous awards and critical acclaim throughout her career, including her performance as Joan Plowright in Orson's Shadow and as Betty Boylan in Kevin's Bed. She made her New York debut as Frieda in Ourselves Alone. Geraldine co-starred opposite Piper Laurie in the film St. Patrick's Day and has appeared in Danny DeVito's Duplex and with Angela Lansbury in the "Murder She Wrote" telefilm "The Celtic Riddle." Other television credits include "ER," "The Guardian," "Oliver Beene," and "The Profiler." She is a graduate of UCLA's School of Theatre, Film & Television.

KEITH NOBBS (Laurence). Broadway: The Lion in Winter (Roundabout). Off-Broadway: Romance (Atlantic), Fuddy Meers (MTC, Minetta Lane), Dublin Carol (Atlantic), Hope Is the Thing with Feathers (Drama Department), Four (MTC), Stupid Kids (WPA, Century Theatre). Workshops/labs: Four (Cherry Lane Alternative), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Sundance), Mean Creek (O'Neill Conference). Film: Phonebooth (Joel Schumacher), Double Whammy (Tom DiCillo). TV: "Law & Order," "The Sopranos," "New York Undercover." Graduate LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts. Member Drama Dept. and The Vineyard Community of Artists.

CONOR McPHERSON (Playwright, Director) made his Broadway debut with 1999's acclaimed play The Weir. Off-Broadway, his productions include Dublin Carol, St. Nicholas and This Lime Bower Tree. McPherson was awarded the 1997 George Devine Award, the 1997 Critics' Circle Award and the 1997 Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright for The Weir. The Weir also won the 1999 Olivier Award for Best New Play.

SANTO LOQUASTO (Set Design) was recently inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame. He has received three Tony Awards: Cafe Crown (Set Design), The Cherry Orchard and Grand Hotel (Costume Design). He has collaborated with Woody Allen on 24 films. His costume designs for Zelig and production design for Bullets Over Broadway and Radio Days received Academy Award nominations. Recent designs include Glengarry Glen Ross, Movin' Out and Salome at the Metropolitan Opera.

ANN ROTH (Costume Design) has designed approximately 80 Broadway shows as well as projects at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, ACT in San Francisco and Off-Broadway. And for the movies: Midnight Cowboy, Klute, Hair, Working Girl, Sweet Dreams and more recently The Birdcage, The English Patient (Academy Award) and The Talented Mr. Ripley (Academy Award nomination).

PAUL GALLO (Lighting Design). Broadway includes Never Gonna Dance, 42nd Street, The Rocky Horror Show, The Man Who came to Dinner, Titanic, Smokey Joe's Cafe, The Sound of Music, On the Town, Triumph of Love, Forum, Big, Crazy for You, Guys and Dolls, Anything Goes, The Crucible, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Skylight, The Tempest, Six Degrees of Separation, Little Foxes. Off-Broadway: Mystery of Irma Vep, Assassins. Seven Tony nominations, six Drama Desk nominations, five Outer Critics Circle Awards and three Obie Awards.

BARRY & FRAN WEISSLER (Producer) have received five Tony Awards for the following productions: the current hit production of Chicago, Othello starring James Earl Jones and Christopher Plummer, Fiddler on the Roof (Topol), Gypsy (Tyne Daly) and Annie Get Your Gun (Bernadette Peters and Reba McEntire). Other Broadway productions include Sweet Charity, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Zorba, My One and Only, Falsettos, Grease! and Wonderful Town.

SCOTT RUDIN (Producer). Film: The Life Aquatic, Closer, Team America, I (heart) Huckabees, The Village, The Manchurian Candidate, School of Rock, The Hours, Iris, The Royal Tenenbaums, Changing Lanes, Zoolander, Sleepy Hollow, Wonder Boys, Angela's Ashes, South Park, The Truman Show, A Civil Action, In & Out, Ransom, Mother, First Wives Club, Clueless, Nobody's Fool, The Firm, Searching for Bobby Fischer, Sister Act, The Addams Family, Little Man Tate. Theatre: Passion; Skylight; Forum; The Chairs; The Judas Kiss; The Blue Room; Closer; Amy's View; The Ride Down Mt. Morgan; Cagen; The Designated Mourner; The Goat; Medea; Caroline, or Change; The Normal Heart; Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Doubt.

ROGER BERLIND (Producer). Productions produced or co-produced on Broadway include: Amadeus; Sophisticated Ladies; Nine; All's Well That Ends Well; The Rink; The Real Thing; Joe Egg; Precious Sons; Big Deal; Long Day's Journey Into Night; Ain't Misbehavin'; Jerome Robbins' Broadway; Artist Descending a Staircase; City of Angels; Lettice and Lovage; Death and the Maiden; Guys and Dolls; Hamlet; Passion; Indiscretions; Getting Away With Murder; Skylight; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; Steel Pier; The Life; The Judas Kiss; A View From the Bridge; The Blue Room; Amy's View; Closer; The Ride Down Mount Morgan; The Wild Party; Cagen; Kiss Me, Kate; Proof; The Dance of Death; Medea; Anna in the Tropics; Wonderful Town; Caroline, or Change; the current revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and the Tony Award winning production of Doubt. These productions have won a total of 67 Tony Awards, including 13 for best production in their

DEBRA BLACK (Producer). Broadway: The Pillowman, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Sly Fox, Sixteen Wounded, Prymate. Off-Broadway: Ears on a Beatle, Woman Before a Glass. Vice chairman of New York State Council on the Arts.
http://broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=4116
thanks, Rai!

By Ernio Hernandez
25 Jul 2005
Playbill

The cast has been announced for the upcoming Broadway-bound Conor McPherson's Shining City at San Francisco's Curran Theatre.
McPherson stages his own work for the American debut of the new work starting in California Sept. 13 andng Sept. 20 for a run through Oct. 9 as part of the 2005-2006 Best of Broadway season before heading to Broadway's Schoenfeld Theatre in November.
Original London cast member Stanley Townsend reprises his role opposite Rufus Sewell (Translations on Broadway, the upcoming "The Legend of Zorro"), Geraldine Hughes (of Off-Broadway's recent Belfast Blues) and Keith Nobbs (recently in the Atlantic Theatre Company's Romance).
The Dublin-set Shining City follows the story of a man who goes to a therapist claiming he saw the ghost of his recently-deceased wife. "What begins as just an unusual encounter becomes a desperate struggle between the living and the dead — a struggle which will shape and define both men for the rest of their lives," reads show materials.
The work made its world premiere at London's Royal Court Theatre in June of 2004 followed by a run at the Gate Theatre during the 2004 Dublin Theatre Festival.
Playwright and director McPherson is known stateside for his Broadway debut The Weir and Off-Broadway works Dublin Carol, St. Nicholas and This Lime Bower Tree. Other works include Come On Over and Port Authority.
Tickets to Shining City at the Curran Theatre, go on sale Aug. 21 and will be available by calling or online at bestofbroadway-sf.com.
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/94198.html
thanks, Rai

New York Times
July 26, 2005
"Shining City," a new play written and directed by Conor McPherson ("The Weir"), is toon Broadway on Nov. 10 at the Schoenfeld Theater. Starring Rufus Sewell and Stanley Townsend, this story of a struggle between the living and dead deals with a man in Dublin who seeks a therapist's help, saying he has seen the ghost of his recently deceased wife. After performances at the Curran Theater in San Francisco from Sept. 13 through Oct. 9, Broadway previews begin on Oct. 18, with an officialng on Nov. 10. ..
thanks, Rai!

Producers on the project are Barry and Fran Weissler, Scott Rudin, Roger Berlind and Debra Black. They present Rufus Sewell and Stanley Townsend in McPherson's play, about a man who seeks help from a therapist after claiming to have seen the ghost of his recently deceased wife.

Keith Nobbs and Geraldine Hughes have also been cast. McPherson directs. "Shining City" is his first play to be presented on Broadway since "The Weir," in 1999.

The Broadway run of "Shining City" follows an engagement at San Francisco's Curran Theater, running Sept. 13-Oct. 9. The play had its world premiere last year at London's Royal Court Theater.