July 30, 2001

Ian Mckellen and Helen Mirren star in Dance of Death, a new adaptation of August Strindberg’s play by Richard Greenberg. Directed by Sean Mathias.
Begins Tuesday, September 18th, 2001 at Broadway’s Broadhurst theatre. Opens on Thursday, October 11th, 2001.

NEW YORK, N.Y. — The Shubert Organization, Roger Berlind, Chase Mishkin, and USA Ostar Theatricals, are pleased to announce the limited-engagement Broadway run of Dance of Death, a new adaptation of August Strindberg’s play by Richard Greenberg (Three Days of Rain, Eastern Standard) starring Tony Award winner Ian McKellen (Amadeus) and Tony Award nominee Helen Mirren (A Month in the Country, TV’s “Prime Suspect”). Directed by Sean Mathias (Indiscretions), Dance of Death marks the first time that Ian McKellen and Helen Mirren have appeared on Broadway since 1994 and 1995, respectively. The cast of Dance of Death also features David Strathairn, Anne Pitoniak, Keira Naughton and Eric Martin Brown.

Dance of Death will begin its limited 17-week engagement at The Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street) on Tuesday, September 18th, 2001. The Opening Night is Thursday, October 11th, 2001. The final performance will be Sunday, January 13th, 2002.

Tickets for Dance of Death are scaled at $ 51.25 – 71.25. Tickets will be available beginning Sunday, August 12, 2001 through Tele-charge at (212) 239-6200, or at The Broadhurst Theatre box office (235 West 44th Street) beginning August 13, 2001. The playing schedule for Dance of Death will be Tuesday – Saturday at 8:00 p.m., Wednesday & Saturday at 2:00 p.m., and Sunday at 3:00 p.m.

A couple, Edgar, a military captain, and his wife, Alice, a former actress, are preparing to celebrate their silver anniversary . . . 25 years of living together in a place they have nicknamed “Little Hell.” Inevitably bound together yet yearning for escape, the two spend their empty days amusing themselves by matching wits, their verbal jousts spinning a web of twisted emotion. A visitor from their past suddenly re-enters their lives . . . will he offer them freedom from their empty lives or fall victim to their wicked games?

Dance of Death was previously staged in New York by the New York Shakespeare Festival in 1974 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater; a production adapted and directed by A.J. Antoon, starring Robert Shaw, Zoe Caldwell and Hector Elizondo. Prior to that, in 1971, there was a production at the Ritz Theatre (now the Walter Kerr) adapted by Paul Avila Mayer, directed by Alfred Ryder, and starring Rip Torn, Viveca Lindfors and Michael Strong. In 1969, the Roundabout Theatre presented a production adapted and directed by Gene Feist, starring Sterling Jensen, Anna Reiser and Brian Hartigan.

Dance of Death will have set and costume design by Santo Loquasto, lighting design by Natasha Katz, and sound design and original music by Dan Moses Schreier.